Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Josh McKoon seeks another term as Georgia GOP chair.
- New poll explores hypothetical U.S. Senate matchups.
- Jon Ossoff explains why he’ll oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary.
House Speaker Jon Burns is making good on his pledge to preserve in vitro fertilization with a new measure that aims to cement access to the procedure by ensuring it remains legally enshrined in state law.
He’s endorsing a measure sponsored by Republican state Rep. Lehman Franklin of Statesboro, who has a personal stake in the issue.
After years of waiting, multiple rounds of IVF, and a failed adoption attempt, Franklin and his wife are now expecting their first child — a daughter conceived through IVF, due this June.
“I want to ensure every family who faces the challenge of infertility has an opportunity to experience the miracle that IVF can provide,” Franklin said.
Credit: Adam Beam/AJC
Credit: Adam Beam/AJC
A few years ago, the three-page bill might have seemed unnecessary. IVF has been widely accepted for decades, and state data shows that more than 2,300 children were born in Georgia through IVF in 2021 alone.
But its future became uncertain after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, clearing the way for Georgia and other Republican-led states to enact abortion restrictions.
The Southern Baptist Convention, which enjoys wide influence in Georgia and is the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, voted last year to oppose some IVF practices, including the creation of multiple embryos.
In addition, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled last year that frozen embryos are legally considered children and that parents can sue for wrongful death if some embryos are accidentally destroyed. Alabama lawmakers then quickly passed a law to shield IVF providers from liability.
Georgia’s bipartisan proposal -- Democratic state Rep. Esther Panitch played a key role in crafting its language -- would amend the state health code to formally establish IVF as a legal right, preventing future restrictions on the procedure. It also defines the IVF procedure as it is widely practiced today, which supporters say will help eliminate any legal ambiguity.
Gov. Brian Kemp and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones have also said they support legislation protecting IVF access.
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Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
GOOD MORNING! Here are five things to know for today:
- Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman won’t run for reelection this year, citing family medical issues, the AJC’s Riley Bunch reports.
- Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposal for more than $2 billion in tax cuts and refunds cleared the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday. The tax refund had unanimous support. But some Democrats opposed the tax cut, saying it shouldn’t apply to corporations, the AJC’s David Wickert reports.
- The state Senate approved an 11-day sales tax holiday for ammunition, guns and other accessories. If it becomes law, the exemption would coincide with the start of hunting season, the AJC’s Maya T. Prabhu reports.
- Some Georgia Republicans are getting a head start on 2026 races because of a law that lets wealthy donors and corporations donate unlimited amounts of money, Greg Bluestein and Wickert report.
- Georgia lawmakers have introduced multiple bills to regulate drone operations in the state, the AJC’s Caleb Groves reports.
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
POWER PLAY. Josh McKoon is seeking another two-year term as chair of the Georgia GOP. He’s waging his reelection campaign in a different political landscape.
He won a three-way race in 2023 for the party chair’s job with a promise to unify Republicans after the divisive tenure of his predecessor.
At the time, Republicans were still smarting from stinging defeats in 2020 and 2022. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ election interference case had targeted several key GOP activists. And Gov. Brian Kemp was keeping his distance from the organization.
Now, McKoon’s campaign comes weeks after President Donald Trump flipped Georgia back into the GOP column. Willis’ case is on the ropes. And McKoon worked to repair the party’s rift with Kemp.
In the process, McKoon has enjoyed a growing national profile. Trump singled him out for praise at several of his campaign stops, and he was rumored to be in the running for an RNC post after the election. Instead, McKoon wants to stay put.
“Having led in historic victories last November,” McKoon said, “I am ready to do it again in 2026.”
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
POLL POWER. If you’re wondering why Georgia Republicans are targeting transgender rights in this legislative session, a poll of 600 likely Georgia voters by the Tyson Group offers some insight.
It found that 60% of voters oppose high-dollar state contracts being awarded to companies “based on how inclusive they are of transgender priorities.” And three-quarters say taxpayer-funded state insurance policies shouldn’t cover “sex changes for state employees.”
The poll also tested Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff against three hypothetical opponents.
Gov. Brian Kemp leads Ossoff 49-42 in a potential head-to-head matchup. But the Democrat has the edge over several other possible GOP challengers, with a 47-39 lead over U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-St. Simons Island, and a 51-39 advantage over U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome.
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Credit: Adam Beam/AJC
Credit: Adam Beam/AJC
UNDER THE GOLD DOME. It’s the 17th day of the Georgia legislative session. Here are some of today’s happenings.
- 9:30 a.m.: House convenes. Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on four bills, including House Bill 105, which would increase how much money the state will pay to the estate of public school teachers who are killed while on the job.
- 10 a.m.: Senate convenes. Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on four bills, including Senate Bill 21, which would make local government officials vulnerable to lawsuits if they violate Georgia’s ban on sanctuary cities.
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
LISTEN UP. Today on “Politically Georgia,” state Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, joins to discuss his proposal to ban cell phones in schools. And state House Democratic Caucus chair Tanya Miller, D-Atlanta, discusses Democratic priorities this session.
Be sure to download the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Have a question for the show? Give us a call at 770-810-5297. Episodes are uploaded by noon each day, just in time to have lunch with us. You can also listen live at 10 a.m. EDT on 90.1 FM WABE.
On Wednesday’s show, AJC health reporter Ariel Hart discussed President Donald Trump’s move to cut more than $700 million in National Institutes of Health grants to Georgia — and the legal efforts to stop the cuts. And reporter Michael Jones from Once Upon a Hill previewed the first DOGE subcommittee hearing chaired by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome.
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TOSS-UP. The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter is out with its first ratings for 2026 U.S. Senate races, and it’s no surprise that Georgia Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s seat is listed as a toss-up.
Jessica Taylor, Cook Political Report’s editor for U.S. Senate and governors races, writes that Ossoff is the most vulnerable Democrat as he runs for a second term in a state that President Donald Trump carried. Besides Ossoff and his counterpart, Sen. Raphael Warnock, Republicans occupy every other statewide seat in Georgia.
Unlike his 2020 race and the January 2021 runoff that solidified his victory, Ossoff will not have Warnock’s name accompanying him on the ballot.
The only other seat rated a toss up is in Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters has decided not to seek reelection. Although more Republican incumbents are on the ballot in 2026, the map still favors the GOP holding onto the Senate majority even if Democrats have a strong year, according to Taylor.
“Even if Democrats were able to defend every incumbent and open seat on their side and flip the two most at-risk GOP-held seats, it would still leave them two short of an outright majority,” she wrote. “Additional targets are hard to find. There are no other GOP-held seats up in 2026 that Trump won by less than double digits.”
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Credit: John McDonnell/AP
Credit: John McDonnell/AP
NAY. Georgia U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff explained earlier today why he’ll oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary when the Senate votes later today.
As a part of his speech on the Senate floor, Ossoff read a letter from a distressed employee at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who says she has been harassed and threatened after her name and personal information were posted on a website called “DEI Watch.”
Here’s more of his remarks:
“As we speak, the world's flagship disease control agency is in chaos and under political attack, and public servants who dare to try to improve health outcomes for the poor and disadvantaged fear for their safety, all brought to you by the president who said, maybe bleach injections could cure COVID. None of this bodes well for the health and safety of the American people. I will oppose the Kennedy nomination. It's not too late for my colleagues gripped by political fear to do the same."
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., has also said he’ll oppose Kennedy’s nomination.
***
Credit: Luis M. Alvarez/AP
Credit: Luis M. Alvarez/AP
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Donald Trump will meet at the White House with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India.
- The House will vote on legislation that would impose stricter penalties for using a motor vehicle to flee from border patrol agents.
- The Senate could vote on whether to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary and Brooke Rollins as agriculture secretary.
- Democrats in the House and Senate will hold a news conference to talk about how potential spending cuts could affect the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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THE PEOPLE’S HOUSE. The White House will reopen for public tours on Feb. 25 for the first time since President Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term.
“The President and I are excited to reopen the White House to those interested in the extraordinary story of this iconic and beautiful landmark,” first lady Melania Trump said in a news release. “This opportunity is unique among nations around the globe — a tradition we are honored to continue for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come each year.”
Tour tickets must be requested through members of Congress, and their offices can be contacted up to three months in advance. Tours will generally be available from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, excluding federal holidays.
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SHOUTOUTS. Today’s birthday:
- Katie Duvall, Georgia Chamber lobbyist.
Transitions:
- Lt. Col. Josh Lamb is the new director of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. Lamb replaces Chris Stallings, who is now the assistant administrator for disaster recovery and resilience at the Small Business Administration. Gov. Brian Kemp announced the appointment on Wednesday. Lamb has been the assistant commissioner for the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
- Chris Riley will be the interim chief of staff for House Speaker Jon Burns. Riley was previously the chief of staff for the entirety of Gov. Nathan Deal’s two terms in office. He’s filling in for Terry England, who was injured in a heavy machinery accident at his farm over the weekend. Kaleb McMichen, who was a deputy to the late House Speaker David Ralston, called Riley a “trusted and plainspoken leader” ready for one of state government’s most challenging gigs.
Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that! Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.
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AS ALWAYS, send your best scoops, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.
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