Today’s newsletter highlights include:
- Georgia could surpass 4 million votes by Friday.
- The lack of campaigning for statewide ballot questions.
- U.S. Rep. Mike Collins hits the road for GOP candidates.
Politics makes strange bedfellows, and that’s even more true during the final days of a fiercely competitive White House race.
As Democrats mount new efforts to urge battleground state voters to reject longshot candidate Jill Stein, a GOP-friendly super PAC sent text messages to liberal voters in Georgia promoting the Green Party contender.
We heard from David Pope, who said he received a text financed by the American Environmental Justice PAC in support of Stein. The text, complete with rainbow and heart emojis, asks voters to reject the “uni-party” and join the “movement for Equality.”
Financial records show the group was formed days ago and financed by a $35,000 donation from Lin Rogers, a tech executive who has donated to former President Donald Trump.
Credit: Nic Antaya/The New York Times
Credit: Nic Antaya/The New York Times
That’s peanuts compared to the cash already spent on the race. Both campaigns have reserved $24 million in ads in Georgia just for the final week. But the newly formed political action committee exemplifies the efforts, big and small, that outside groups are using to try to influence the outcome.
The third-party factor remains a major wild card in Georgia’s contest. Stein had negligible support in the latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll, but Democrats are worried she could siphon off votes from Vice President Kamala Harris that could come back to haunt her campaign.
That’s one reason why Republicans, looking for an extra edge, backed legislation this year that made it easier for Stein to land on Georgia’s ballot. She joins Harris, Trump and Libertarian Chase Oliver on the ballot.
Two other third-party candidates, Cornel West and Claudia De la Cruz, were disqualified by Georgia’s top court after a legal challenge from Democrats. Their names still appear on ballots but votes for them don’t count in official results.
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Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
GOOD MORNING. We’re five days away from the presidential election. Here are three things to know for today:
- The presidential candidates have booked $24 million in TV ads in Georgia for the final week of the campaign, the AJC’s Phoebe Quinton reports. Vice President Kamala Harris has the most with $14 million.
- If no one concedes the election next week, a new law will allow for dueling governments-in-waiting.
- Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says Georgia’s elections are secure.
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Credit: Greg Bluestein/AJC
Credit: Greg Bluestein/AJC
TURNOUT TIME. Nearly half of Georgia’s active voters have already cast ballots.
The Georgia Secretary of State’s office reports that more than 3.4 million people have cast early ballots, and the final early voting turnout could threaten 4 million when the three-week period ends Friday.
As we report today, some of the highest voter participation rates are in unlikely places: deep-red rural places like Towns County where voters are heeding calls to turn out. The electorate skews older and whiter, which tends to favor former President Donald Trump.
But Democrats also have plenty to cheer about. After a slow start, turnout in the deep-blue bastions of Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton counties — three of the four top sources of votes that fueled Joe Biden’s 2020 Georgia victory — now outpaces the state average.
And records show women have a roughly 11-point edge over men in early voting. That’s a good sign for Democrats, as polls show women favor Vice President Kamala Harris by a wide margin.
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BREAKING THROUGH. While the presidential candidates and their allies are backed by billions of dollars to get their message out, there haven’t been robust campaigns to tell voters about the two constitutional amendments and one referendum on Georgia’s ballot this year.
It’s somewhat of a missed opportunity. With a “short ballot” this year, voters theoretically have more capacity to consider ballot questions. But in the absence of a clarifying message, the questions can get lost.
“There is interest, and a lack of clarity for voters on what these things mean,” Republican strategist Brian Robinson said. “In a vacuum, any message can become believable.”
Previous ballot measures have been backed by multimillion-dollar campaigns, including a charter school amendment in 2012 and “Marsy’s Law” amendment in 2018.
That’s not the case this year. The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce has donated $2,500 to Georgians for Quick Tax Appeals, which has set up a website supporting Amendment 2.
The Georgia chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business has paid for some digital and radio ads backing a statewide referendum to increase a popular property tax exemption for small businesses. Hunter Loggins, the chapter’s state direction. declined to say how much the group spent.
“Most of our small businesses, while they might be focused on candidates, what really impacts them are referendums like this,” he said.” So I don’t think the message has been so hard to get out.”
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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
IN THE STATES. Democrats suffered a shellacking at the polls in 2010 when Republicans flipped 20 state Legislatures.
They’ve since learned from their mistake. Democrats made some gains in 2022, flipping chambers in Michigan and Minnesota. Now, they’re looking to protect those and flip some others.
Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said 12 seats could control the fate of six legislative majorities on Election Day.
- Arizona: Need to flip four seats — two in the House and two in the Senate — to win majorities.
- Michigan: Hold two seats to maintain a majority in the House.
- Minnesota: Hold four seats in the House and one seat in the Senate to maintain their majorities.
- Pennsylvania: Hold one House seat to protect their majority.
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Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
RIDE UP. The Democratic Party of Georgia is taking a new step to turn out Kamala Harris supporters.
The party said Wednesday it will partner with the Vote to Live outreach group to provide free rides to the polls for Georgians. The program offers $30 rideshare vouchers that are geofenced to ensure they’re used for trips to and from poll locations.
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Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez/AJC
SAPELO HEARING. At least nine residents of the Gullah-Geechee community on Sapelo Island are expected to travel to Atlanta today to testify about the collapse of a state-owned gangway that killed seven people.
State Sen. Donzella James, D-Atlanta, invited them. She’s devoting the second half of her Urban Affairs Committee hearing to the tragedy. James said one of the victims was holding her uncle’s hand when he fell. He later died.
“She had me crying on the phone the other day,” James said.
The hearing is designed to showcase the realities of life on Sapelo Island, which is only accessible by boat. It’s one reason why the Sapelo part of the hearing was delayed until the afternoon to give residents enough time to catch a morning ferry.
“I hope we can make sure that we’re taking care of the people on Sapelo,” James said.
The Gullah-Geechee are descendants of formerly enslaved people who have lived on the island for decades in the community of Hog Hammock.
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
LISTEN UP. Today on “Politically Georgia,” Ryan Anderson, founder of the vote data tracking website GeorgiaVotes.com, discusses early voting. Also, Michael O’Leary, vice chair of College Republicans at the University of Georgia, and Young Democrats of Georgia national committee representative Parker Short join the show.
Be sure to download the AJC’s Politically Georgia podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. Have a question for the show? Give us a call at 770-810-5297.
On Wednesday’s show, the hosts reminisced about their first year on the air. Also, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, former U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, and former Gov. Roy Barnes talked about election integrity.
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ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. Today’s happenings:
- Investor and TV personality Mark Cuban will host a town hall in Atlanta on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign.
- U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Florida, will headline a campaign event for former President Donald Trump in Dunwoody.
- Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will campaign in Phoenix. Harris will also speak at rallies in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada.
- Former President Donald Trump will campaign in Henderson, Nevada, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. He will also be a guest at the Tucker Carlson Live Tour event in Glendale, Arizona.
Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinso/AP
Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinso/AP
- Ohio U.S. Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, will participate in a town hall hosted by Turning Point USA on the campus of High Point University in North Carolina.
- Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz, wife of the Democratic vice presidential nominee, will speak at Georgia campaign events in Mableton, Macon, Albany and Valdosta.
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, will campaign in Bucks County and Erie, Pennsylvania.
- Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, will speak at a Get Out the Vote rally in Atlanta then participate in a bus tour around the metro area.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
ON THE ROAD. U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, has been a fixture at former President Donald Trump’s campaign rallies in Georgia. But he’s also been logging miles in states like Pennsylvania as he backs the campaigns of Republicans in competitive districts.
Collins posted a picture on social media Wednesday with U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., Alabama U.S. Rep. Dale Strong and Florida U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart as they campaigned in Ohio on behalf of Derek Merrin, who is seeking to unseat Democratic incumbent Marcy Kaptur.
“Convoy rollin’. Pedal down 7 days!” the caption said.
Collins was in Virginia earlier this week with GOP Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota campaigning on behalf of the Republicans in two battleground races.
Collins’ team tells us he has been focused on getting Trump elected and helping Republicans preserve, and possibly grow, their majority in the U.S. House. But his frequent road trips indicate that Collins might be seeking a leadership post in the next Congress.
He ran unsuccessfully for Republican Conference vice chairman in November. Depending on how the election shakes out, he could seek that post again or eye another title.
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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
TARDY FOR THE PARTY. Attendees at this week’s When We All Vote rally, headlined by former first lady Michelle Obama, were treated with a set from acclaimed DJ D-Nice to close the show.
But whether he would make the event at all was not a certainty because of the drama that unfolded shortly after he checked into his hotel. D-Nice posted on Instagram that he was inexplicably trapped inside the Four Seasons downtown just two hours before he was scheduled to be at the event in College Park.
The hotel elevators weren’t working, and when he opened his drapes he saw drones flying overhead and armored vehicles on the street.
“Just then, I heard shots ring out and quickly stepped away from the window,” he wrote. “I had no idea all this madness was happening where I was staying for the night. I missed the first part of my set. No stress though… we are still here.”
What D-Nice didn’t know at the time is there was a SWAT standoff underway. Eventually, the hotel resident accused of firing shots from his unit was arrested and D-Nice made it to the rally in time to play a few tunes.
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Credit: Jeff Amy/AP
Credit: Jeff Amy/AP
SHOUTOUTS. Today’s birthday:
- State Rep. Deborah Silcox, R-Sandy Springs.
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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