Vance tries to reassure Georgia conservatives about Trump’s abortion stance

Trump’s running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, might as well have been dispatched to the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition gala on Monday to reassure conservatives wary of Trump’s position.

Vance reminded a ballroom full of evangelical leaders and Republican activists that it was Trump who engineered the demise of Roe v. Wade by tapping three conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court’s decision was not only a victory for the Constitution. It was a victory and a testament to the resolve of tens of millions of pro-life Americans who never gave up,” he told the packed Cobb Galleria Centre ballroom.

“Now we’re united in our gratitude and our admiration for these devoted defenders of the unborn and for the judges, justices, and especially President Trump, whose commitment to defending the law and the Constitution allowed this breakthrough after over 50 years.”

Democrats are betting that the anti-abortion stances will backfire. Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign wrapped up a statewide bus tour last week that focused on her pledge to reinstate Roe if she prevails. Georgia Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff leveled one of the sharpest attacks.

“What more do we need to know then that the same Donald Trump who bragged on tape about sexually assaulting women has taken control over the most personal healthcare reproductive decisions for women in Georgia?”

Harris’ campaign, meanwhile, also highlighted a new investigation from ProPublica that found at least two Georgia women died after they were unable to receive proper medical care after the state implemented abortion restrictions.

One woman, Amber Thurman, died two weeks after attorneys for the state defended the six-week abortion ban.

Thurman had faced complications after obtaining a legal medicated abortion and went to Piedmont Henry Hospital where she needed fetal tissue removed from her body. However, the state’s new law made performing the procedure a felony with few exceptions for women who were as far along as Thurman.

Although doctors eventually operated on Thurman, a state review found that her death was preventable because care was delayed for 20 hours. She left behind a 6-year-old son.

A spokesman for Gov. Brian Kemp told ProPublica its reporting was a “fear-mongering campaign.”

Harris said Trump deserves the blame for the deaths for ensuring the Supreme Court would overturn federal protections for abortion access.

“This is exactly what we feared when Roe was struck down,” Harris said in a statement released this morning. “In more than 20 states, Trump abortion bans are preventing doctors from providing basic medical care.”

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GOOD MORNING. We’re 48 days away from the presidential election. It’ll be a busy week on the campaign trail in Georgia, with visits by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president, and first lady Gwen Walz. Republican presidential nominee — U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio — spoke in Cobb County last night.

Here’s three things to know for today:

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Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

BURYING THE HATCHET. The last time former President Donald Trump was in Georgia, he called Republican Gov. Brian Kemp “a bad guy, a disloyal guy, and a very bad governor” and first lady Marty Kemp simply “the wife.”

But Trump’s running mate, Republican U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, had a different message at the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition gala on Monday. He referred to the first couple as “your incredible, patriotic, and very effective governor, Brian Kemp, and his lovely wife Marty.”

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Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

SPOTTED. State Republicans were out in force last night at the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition gala. Along with the Kemps, we spotted:

And on a happy note, Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson told the group his Stage 4 pancreatic cancer is responding well to treatment. “The pancreatic mass is shrinking and the liver is healing,” he said.

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WRITING ON THE WALL? Georgia Democrats are trying to overturn a 2021 law that lets Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and a few other officials raise unlimited amounts of campaign cash. But based on Monday’s hearing before a federal judge, their chances of succeeding are not looking good.

U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen appeared skeptical of Democrats’ arguments and questioned whether the party has standing to bring the lawsuit at all, according to the AJC’s David Wickert, who was in the courtroom for Monday’s hearing.

“There are a lot of what I’d call bad laws,” Cohen said. “I can’t rewrite bad laws. The only thing I can do is call them out when they’re unconstitutional.”

We’ll know soon enough. Cohen said he plans to issue a ruling by next week.

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Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

ANTISEMITIC MAILERS. Savannahians recently joined residents of several Atlanta-area neighborhoods as targets for antisemitic flyers. The propaganda letters began arriving in mailboxes last week and falsely claimed to be from the Democratic Party.

Aaron “Adot” Whitely, chair of the Chatham County Democratic Party, condemned the flyers, calling them a “vile act of antisemitism by anonymous agitators,” according to the AJC’s Adam Van Brimmer.

“Chatham Democrats will always stand with our friends, family and neighbors of all faiths and nationalities against bigotry, racism and discrimination,” Whitely said. “We will never allow hate in any form to divide us.”

It is unknown how many of the letters, sent in hand-addressed envelopes to the “current resident” of a particular mailing address, were circulated.

Antisemitic flyers have plagued Atlanta neighborhoods for much of the last two years and are typically distributed in plastic baggies weighed down by corn kernels and thrown into driveways. Targets have included DeKalb County near the Emory University campus, Alpharetta, Carrollton, Dunwoody, Newnan, Rockmart, Roswell and Sandy Springs.

Outside metro Atlanta, flyers have been distributed in Cartersville, Columbus and Macon as well as Savannah.

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Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC

Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC

BIOMASS. Georgia Power could soon be getting more electricity from burning wood. But not everyone is happy about it.

Today, state regulators are scheduled to vote on whether to let the utility purchase nearly 80 megawatts of electricity from a trio of biomass plants to help provide power to its more than 2.7 million customers.

Biomass is material from plants and animals that can be used for energy. Georgia is a huge producer of wood pellets made from its trees. For context, one megawatt of electricity is enough to power between 400 and 900 homes.

Biomass is expensive, costing ratepayers about two to three times more than it would to get power from other sources. Critics say it’s not worth the money. The Southern Environmental Law Center notes that in one of these biomass contracts, ratepayers will pay three times the value of the amount of energy they get.

But for some elected members of the Georgia Public Service Commission, these biomass contracts would provide more than just electricity. They would also be a source for rural jobs by providing new markets for the state’s timber industry.

As the AJC’s Meris Lutz reports, Georgia has become a biomass titan, providing a lot of power for Europe.

“We represent everyone in state, not just Georgia Power ratepayers,” Commissioner Tim Echols said.

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LISTEN UP. Today on “Politically Georgia,” Jordan Fuchs with the Georgia secretary of state’s office joins the show. Also, listeners will hear a pre-taped interview with Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander ahead of the “Jimmy Carter 100: A Celebration in Song” event happening tonight.

You can listen live at 10 a.m. on WABE 90.1 or follow “Politically Georgia” 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.

On Monday’s show, the AJC’s Tamar Hallerman discussed the latest developments in the election interference case. The AJC’s Michael E. Kanell spoke about the economy.

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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:

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Credit: TNS

Credit: TNS

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. We’re 48 days away from the election. Here’s what’s happening:

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Credit: Rick McKay/Cox Washington Bureau

Credit: Rick McKay/Cox Washington Bureau

CARING FOR CAREGIVERS. Dozens of U.S. House members have signed a letter asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to honor the late former first lady Rosalynn Carter’s memory by establishing an Office of Caregiver Health.

This new unit would look for ways to support people who are caring for family members and loved ones, including ways to address any financial, mental and physical strains.

“The late former First Lady Rosalynn Carter believed that the establishment of a new Office of Caregiver Health at the HHS would dismantle silos that are barriers to progress by creating ways to coordinate support for the needs of caregivers,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-St. Simons Island, took the lead on making the request. The 26 other signers include eight more members of Georgia’s delegation: all five Democrats plus Republican Reps. Barry Loudermilk of Cassville, Rick Allen of Augusta and Drew Ferguson of The Rock.

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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

SHOUTOUTS. Today’s birthday:

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.