Peach State Politics (Feb. 26, 2021)
Perdue says no to 2022 comeback, Loeffler launches new voting rights organization, GOP voting bills move through GA Legislature, and more
Perdue Says No to 2022 Comeback
Former Sen. David Perdue once again leads off this week’s newsletter. The 71-year-old Republican, who lost re-election to Democrat Jon Ossoff last month, announced this week that he would not mount a comeback bid for Georgia’s other Senate seat in 2022. This comes a week after the former Senator filed paperwork to explore a bid against Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. He said at the time that he was exploring a run because the two Democratic newcomers “do not fairly represent all Georgians” and because he wanted to help his party regain control of the Senate. He said this week that his decision to sit out the race was a personal decision, “not a political one.” He also said that while he won’t be a candidate himself, he will do everything he can to support the eventual Republican nominee. You can read his statement below.
Loeffler Launches New Voting Rights Organization
Elsewhere, former Sen. Kelly Loeffler also returned to the political spotlight this week, launching a new voting rights organization that appears to be a counter to Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight organization. In a video posted on Twitter this week, Loeffler announced the formation of Greater Georgia, which will seek to mobilize and register new Republican voters. She also says that the group will fight for election integrity.
Abrams and her allies were quick to respond to Loeffler’s new organization. Abrams herself responded in a CNN appearance on Monday night, saying that it was “deeply disheartening” for Loeffler to use her resources to engage in conspiracy theories. Loeffler’s communications team fired back, saying that the former gubernatorial candidate is “afraid of the important work being done at Greater Georgia.”
This isn’t the only news that Loeffler made this week: she suggested that a rematch with Sen. Raphael Warnock is “certainly on the table,” but she does not appear to be in a rush to make a decision and will be focusing on her commitments at Greater Georgia for the time being.
Republicans Who Could Challenge Warnock in 2022
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is out with a new article that lists several potential Republican challengers to Warnock next year. The list is topped by Loeffler and her one-time Republican rival, former Rep. Doug Collins. Several Republican statewide officeholders, such as Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and AG Chris Carr, are also on the list. Georgia football legend and Trump ally Herschel Walker is also listed as a potential candidate. You can read the full article here.
GOP Voting Bills Move Through GA Legislature
Here are some important updates on the Republican-backed voting bills that continue to move through the Georgia Legislature:
Bill requiring photo ID for absentee ballots passed the Georgia Senate along party lines, 35-18
Protesters gathered outside Georgia Capitol on Thursday in opposition to new voting bills
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says many of the bills are “reactionary to a three month disinformation campaign that could have been prevented”
Stacey Abrams’ allies place seven-figure ad buy criticizing the Republican-backed voting proposals
Lawmakers back off ban on Sunday voting after backlash from church leaders
CEO of Dominion Voting addressed conspiracy theories at Georgia Election Board meeting
COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
There were some big developments in Georgia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout this week. Here’s a recap:
Gov. Brian Kemp expands vaccine eligibility to include public and private school teachers, as well as parents of sick children
Adults with developmental disabilities are now eligible to be vaccinated as well
Kemp wants students to return to classrooms as soon as possible. “We cannot delay full in-person learning any longer,” he says
Nearly 1.9 million doses of the vaccine have been administered statewide as of Thursday
More than half of Georgians over 65 have received at least one dose
Four mass vaccination sites opened this week
On Sunday, Gov. Kemp visited a mass vaccination site in Albany. A recap of his visit can be found here.
Carters, Fully Vaccinated, Return to Church
In rare welcoming COVID-19 news, Georgia’s favorite peanut farmer Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn have both been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The 96-year-old former President and the 93-year old former First Lady have also resumed in-person church attendances and have been in the sanctuary at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, GA for the last two Sundays, according to the church’s pastor. Per the Associated Press:
“Jimmy Carter hasn’t resumed teaching his Sunday school class, which once drew thousands of visitors annually. But video from last Sunday’s service showed both of the Carters sitting in their customary spots on the front pew and wearing face masks. The former president waved as members applauded their presence.”
DeKalb to Phase Students Back Into Classrooms
DeKalb County is taking a huge step towards returning to face-to-face learning, announcing this week that they will reopen their schools for in-person instruction for the first time since last March. Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris unveiled the reopening plan in her annual state of the district address on Tuesday. Pre-K through second grade students, along with 6th and 9th grade students, will be welcomed back to classrooms on March 9. All other students will be allowed to return to schools the following week. DeKalb parents will still have the option to keep their children in virtual learning.
House to Vote on $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill on Friday
Lawmakers are set to vote on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package as early as Friday. The bill is likely to pass with little bipartisan support, as Republican congressional leaders argue that the bill is full of progressive priorities. “It also includes a number of things that have absolutely nothing to do with COVID,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, criticized the bill’s funding formula. “Georgians should not be punished by a federal government hoping to tip the scales in favor of other states who chose to decimate their economies,” Kemp said in a letter to Georgia’s congressional delegation.
Among other things, the bill would send $1,400 in direct payments to most Americans, increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and would extend the federal unemployment benefits, which are set to expire next month. Georgia’s U.S. House delegation, which consists of 8 Republicans and 6 Democrats, is widely expected to vote along party lines. If it passes the House, it will then move to the Senate, where both of Georgia’s U.S. Senators — Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock — have promised to approve the bill.
Indicted Paulding DA Suspended from Office
Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended Paulding County District Attorney Richard “Dick” Donovan from office after he turned himself in on four felony charges. Donavan, who became Paulding County’s top prosecutor in 2010, was indicted by a grand jury on charges of bribery and making false statements relating to a relationship that he had with a female member of his staff. He is also facing two charges of violation of his oath of office. He turned himself in to the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office this week but continues to deny the charges. He faces up to 35 years in prison and over $200,000 in fines if convicted on all four charges.
Ahmaud Arbery’s Mother Files Lawsuit One Year After his Murder
The mother of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old Black man who was gunned down by a group of white men while jogging in South Georgia, filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit against her son’s killers. Wanda Cooper filed the lawsuit in federal court on the one-year anniversary of her son’s murder. The local District Attorneys who handled the case at the time are also named in the lawsuit. The full complaint can be read here.
Arbery’s death was one of many that led to widespread conversations and protests against racial inequality last summer. Since his murder, Georgia state lawmakers passed a hate crimes bill and are now working to overhaul the state’s citizen’s arrest laws.