Political Breakfast from WABE

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Plugged In: Governor Kemp outlines his top priority as new Trump policies start playing out in Georgia Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has outlined his top legislative priority – reigning in civil litigation, often referred to as tort reform.

Also on this week's episode of "Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali take a closer look at Democrats' effort to expand Medicaid in Georgia, and their proposal's difficult path ahead.

Plus, President Donald Trump's moves to reshape the government are already starting to play out in Georgia.

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Who will replace Kemp? Candidates for 2026 Georgia Governor's race Jan 30, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of Political Breakfast, host Lisa Rayam, the Atlanta Civic Circle's Saba Long and Republican strategist Brian Robinson focus on Georgia's 2026 gubernatorial race.

Democrat and Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is considering running. That's after serving as an international trade advisor to President Joe Biden.

But that's as candidates on both sides are starting to make bids.

Georgia GOP Attorney General Chris Carr has already raised roughly 2.2 million in the first 40 days of his campaign for governor. He launched his campaign this past November.

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Trump's first week in the Oval Office, Atlanta's CDC freeze, ICE raids and mass deportations Jan 28, 2025

Show notes

President Donald Trump has been president for a week -- and it's already hard to keep up with his barrage of executive orders.

One controversial move: Trump shuttered communications from federal health agencies, including the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, until February 1st. Agencies subject to this include the CDC, the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration.

Plus, as promised throughout his presidential campaign, Trump is enacting mass deportations. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it arrested nearly a thousand migrants nationwide over the weekend, including here in Georgia.

The Atlanta Civic Circle's Saba Long and Republican strategist Brian Robinson discuss the weight of these ICE raids, and how they'll affect all Georgians.

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Plugged In: Freezing temps greet new administration and scramble legislative agenda Jan 24, 2025

Show notes

As temperatures plunged, Georgia and Washington, D.C. prepared for the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.

On this week’s “Plugged In,” WABE Politics Reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali discuss the first week of the new administration, the ongoing court fight over Georgia’s redistricting maps and the state’s response to bird flu in two commercial flocks.

We also hear from one of the January 6th defendants from Georgia who received a pardon – and a prosecutor who worked on many of the cases.

The legislature returns to session on Monday.

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Plugged In: Fast start for Gov. Kemp and lawmakers in first week of legislative session Jan 17, 2025

Show notes

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp delivered his seventh State of the State address at the State Capitol on Thursday. In it he applauded the state’s resilience through natural disasters, the pandemic, economic upheaval and a deadly school shooting and cast Georgia’s approach to health, budgeting and public safety as a model for other states to emulate, declaring “the Georgia Way is indeed the better way.”

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali discuss some of their big takeaways from the speech as Kemp kicks off his second to last year in office.

Plus, the legislative session gets underway as lawmakers bring up transgender student athletes and push to further investigate Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis.

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Georgia lawmakers hash-out 2025 policy goals at Eggs & Issues, Kemp's state of the state address Jan 16, 2025

Show notes

On this week's Political Breakfast, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson reflect with host Lisa Rayam on the first week of Georgia lawmakers getting back to business under the Gold Dome.

Both attended one of the most anticipated political events of the new year: Eggs and Issues. That's when every January, thousands of the state's top elected officials, business leaders and policy stakeholders convene in Atlanta to set the agenda for what's to come.

Plus, the pair predict what we'll hear from Governor Brian Kemp ahead of his annual state of the state address.

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Plugged In: Former President and Georgia native Jimmy Carter laid to rest Jan 10, 2025

Show notes

Georgia’s only president, Jimmy Carter, was laid to rest this week in the rural corner of Southwest Georgia where he was born a century ago.

On this week’s episode of "Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali share what they saw and heard as Carter’s life and accomplishments were celebrated throughout Georgia. Plus, a preview of the 2025 legislative session, which kicks off next week.

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Brian and Tharon share their wish-list for Georgia's 2025 Legislative Session Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

As the start of the new legislative session looms, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson say the issue of public safety is sure to be a top priority.

Just last week MARTA bus driver Leroy Ramos was shot and killed outside the Decatur station, allegedly over a fare dispute. Three juveniles were swiftly arrested.

Tharon and Brian join host Lisa Rayam to weigh-in on public safety and gun violence, plus other issues that should get tossed around under the Gold Dome.

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New year, new issues under Georgia's Gold Dome, Saying goodbye to former President Jimmy Carter Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

Here on the first Political Breakfast podcast of 2025, we pay tribute to the late-President and humanitarian Jimmy Carter.

Also, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson share with host Lisa Rayam their wish-list for state legislators, as they prepare to head back to work soon.

The start of Georgia's new legislative session is just days away.

Plus, thoughts the New Year's Day terror attack in New Orleans.

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Plugged In ENCORE: How Plains, Georgia shaped former President Jimmy Carter Jan 03, 2025

Show notes

Former President Jimmy Carter died Sunday at 100. On this encore episode, WABE's Sam Gringlas looks at how two tiny towns in South Georgia shaped two U.S. presidents. We also preview six days of tributes planned to celebrate the life of the 39th president.

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