As President Joe Biden’s weekend rally in Atlanta nears, some liberal stalwarts want to use next Tuesday’s Georgia presidential primary to send him a message about his policies toward Israel in the war in Gaza.
Georgia doesn’t have an “uncommitted” option on its Democratic primary ballot like Michigan, where roughly one-in-eight Democrats used the method to lodge a protest vote over Biden’s foreign policy. He has been working to negotiate a cease-fire and has been critical of Israel’s handling of the conflict while still supporting the longtime ally.
But the law does allow Georgians to cast blank ballots. That’s what happened during the 2022 U.S. Senate runoff, when some Republicans made their disgust with GOP nominee Herschel Walker known by showing up to the voting booth but not casting a vote for either Walker or Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock.
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
State Rep. Ruwa Romman, Georgia’s first Palestinian-American legislator, said the idea is spreading like “wildfire” in progressive circles ahead of next week’s primary.
“Phone banking organizers that have been calling members of Congress are now shifting to this,” the Duluth Democrat said. “It’s completely grassroots. I’ve never seen anything like it and hope that no matter the outcome people listen.”
Flyers are circulating among liberal and Muslim activists in Georgia that read: “Tell Biden, ceasefire now! Leave it blank on March 12.” Some encourage non-voters to post a #leaveitblank hashtag.
Biden supporters aren’t worried. The president plans a Saturday rally in metro Atlanta, and he’s certain to demolish the other two Democrats on the state’s ballot: Minnesota U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips and self-help author Marianne Williamson, who quit the race but relaunched her campaign last week.
“Elections are about choices and people have a right to do what they want to do on their primary ballot, and we know there’s a lot of time between now and November,” U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, the chair of the state Democratic Party, said in an interview.
“Georgia Democrats have been counted out before, and we’ll continue to show up in force to make sure we’re supporting the polices that deliver for all Georgians.”
Any signs of fissure within the party’s coalition is welcome news to the Republican front-runner, former President Donald Trump, and his allies, since Biden carried the state by fewer than 12,000 votes in 2020.
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Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
EBENEZER PROTEST. Speaking of Democratic divisions over Gaza, about 20 demonstrators waged a silent protest on Sunday at Ebenezer Baptist Church as U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock delivered a sermon.
Warnock, who’s also the senior pastor of the historic church, last week called for a negotiated cease-fire between Israel and Hamas on the floor of the U.S. Senate. However, some progressives have criticized Warnock for backing additional aid for Israel and supporting President Joe Biden’s attempts to manage the conflict without alienating one of the U.S.’s most important allies.
The activists, who on social media identified themselves as students at Atlanta University Center schools, stood silently and took off jackets and coats to reveal shirts that said “cease fire now” on the front and “stop arming Israel” on the back. After a pause, they exited down the middle aisle still without a word.
Warnock paused his remarks to acknowledge them and said he was willing to meet after service.
“I want to thank God for the students and the young folk who are here,” he said. “I wish they’d hang out so we can talk after church. Let them know that they’re welcome to stay; let’s talk after church.”
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QUALIFYING. Don’t be alarmed by the hundreds of ambitious office seekers who will flood the Georgia Capitol this week.
It’s just the biennial qualifying period, which brings a circus-like atmosphere to the statehouse. It will also shape Georgia’s 2024 elections. Insider Greg Bluestein tells how in an explainer that published Sunday at AJC.com.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
ELECTION LAW TWEAKING. With 2024 election qualifying getting underway today, state lawmakers continue to mull changes to how Georgians will vote in the primaries and general election. Ten voting bills have advanced in the General Assembly and will be considered over the remaining 12 days of the legislative session.
The AJC’s Mark Niesse unpacks the proposals in a primer that published this morning. He writes that most of the bills tinker with election administration rather than voting access, a contrast with Georgia’s 2021 law that targeted absentee voting, drop boxes and more voter ID.
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LISTEN UP. The courtroom showdown over whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified from the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his allies is the topic of today’s “Politically Georgia” radio show. Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and professors Alan Abramowitz and Anthony Michael Kreis review the closing arguments made Friday in Fulton County Superior Court.
Also, the panel looks ahead to this week’s Super Tuesday primaries in 16 states and talks about what to expect here in Georgia with candidates submitting paperwork to qualify in local, General Assembly and congressional races.
Listen live at 10 a.m. on WABE 90.1 FM, at AJC.com and at WABE.org.
If you missed the news about the Crossover Day chaos at the Capitol, the “Politically Georgia” team recapped the action on Friday’s episode. Find that show and other previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Credit: Casey Sykes for the AJC
Credit: Casey Sykes for the AJC
UNDER THE GOLD DOME: Legislative Day 29
- 10 a.m.: The House convenes.
- 10 a.m.: The Senate gavels in.
- 1 p.m.: Committee meetings begin.
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Credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC
Credit: Nell Carroll for the AJC
COLLINS CROSSFIRE. U.S. Rep. Mike Collins refused to delete a social media post that agreed with an account with a history of racist and antisemitic posts.
The Jackson Republican drew bipartisan condemnation when he seconded a tweet by the “Garbage Human” criticizing a Jewish reporter for The Washington Post.
Former Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger and Democratic state Rep. Esther Panitch, the only Jewish member of the Georgia Legislature, were among those who panned Collins.
“It’s one thing to mistakenly respond to an antisemitic account,” said Panitch, D-Sandy Springs. “It’s another thing to double down on it and gaslight us like it never happened.”
Collins didn’t directly address the post, writing on the X social media platform that some are “having a rough time wanting to see something that ain’t there. But don’t give up.”
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
REMEMBERING RILEY. U.S. Rep. Mike Collins introduced legislation to require federal immigration officials to detain people in the country illegally if they’re charged or cited with theft or burglary.
The legislation from the Jackson Republican also would allow states to sue the federal government to seek new border security measures if an immigration-related action is found to harm the state.
It’s the latest political response to the killing of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student who authorities say was bludgeoned to death in February while on a run on the University of Georgia campus. The suspect charged in the killing is a Venezuelan man who illegally entered the United States in 2022.
The Georgia House last week passed a measure that would require many local law enforcement officials to arrest and detain unauthorized immigrants for deportation.
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
State Sen. Jason Anavitarte is among Senate GOP leaders behind a separate proposal that would deny pardon or parole to anyone in the country unlawfully who is convicted of a crime.
Collins said his federal measure could reach a vote on Thursday ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
“I wish we could bring Laken back, but we must now turn our focus to ensuring this doesn’t happen to another American,” said Collins. “That’s why I introduced the Laken Riley Act.”
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TARGETING OVERDOSES. After UGA student Jack O’Kelley died last year of a fentanyl overdose, his family helped spur legislation that passed the Georgia Senate last week to crack down on drug trafficking.
Senate Bill 465 calls for stiffer penalties for those convicted of distributing controlled substances and allows for aggravated involuntary manslaughter charges if the recipient dies.
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GOVERNMENT FUNDING. Don’t restart that “countdown to shutdown” clock just yet. Congressional leaders say they are confident they can pass six appropriations bills this week to keep agencies funded ahead of a Friday deadline.
Text of these six appropriations bills was released Sunday by the top budget negotiators in both chambers. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said he was ready to move forward and attempted to make the case to conservative members that the package has earned their support.
“House Republicans secured key conservative policy victories, rejected left-wing proposals, and imposed sharp cuts to agencies and programs critical to President Biden’s agenda,” he wrote in a statement about the bills.
Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
However, it appears that hardline GOP members still may not be satisfied. U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, an Athens Republican who represents northeast Georgia, posted a thread on social media of what he described as “all the policy wins that were SURRENDERED during backroom negotiations.”
Still, these first six bills are considered the easy part.
The remaining six appropriations bills still needing to be negotiated represent about 70% of all federal spending and cover agencies like the departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services.
Funding for these agencies runs out March 22. That gives negotiators less than three weeks to iron out agreements to avoid a partial government shutdown.
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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden has nothing on his schedule.
- The House and Senate return Tuesday.
- U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is in Roswell for a field hearing of the Senate Human Rights Subcommittee to highlight stories from renters who have raised concerns about the condition and safety of area apartment complexes.
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Credit: AJC file photo
Credit: AJC file photo
GEORGIA VOTES. The Georgia GOP’s state committee voted last week to urge lawmakers to block registered lobbyists from serving on the State Election Board.
It was aimed at former Republican state Rep. Ed Lindsey, a lobbyist and lawyer who opposed a recent push to limit no-excuse absentee voting.
Lindsey shrugged off the attack: “Well, I am a lot of other things as well. I am also a lawyer, Rotarian, Episcopalian, bird hunter, dog lover, cat tolerator, and lifelong Georgia football fan.”
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HALEY WATCH. Are you a Nikki Haley supporter who isn’t quite sure who you’ll support in the November presidential election if she doesn’t stay in the GOP primary race? We’d love to talk to you. Contact Greg Bluestein at gbluestein@ajc.com.
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Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
DOG OF THE DAY. Call it the no-dog days of March since every reader’s favorite feature is on a short hiatus. Fear not, though, as the pups will return later this week.
In the interim, send us your dogs of any political persuasion and location, and cats on a cat-by-cat basis, to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us at @MurphyAJC.
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AS ALWAYS, Politically Georgia readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com.
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