Republicans love to mock Stacey Abrams for openly admitting she wants to run for president, but she really spiked their blood pressure this week with a cameo on her favorite TV show when she one-upped even her own ambitions.
Abrams had a cameo on the season finale of Star Trek: Discovery as the president of “United Earth.” Among her lines, she declares the planet is “ready right now to rejoin the Federation, and nothing could make me happier than to say those words.”
The Democrat is a proud Trekker who has said many times that the show has shaped her worldview. One of her books, “Lead from the Outside,” explores one of her favorite scenes from The Next Generation.
That’s why executive producer Michelle Paradise felt there was “no one better to be that president” in the show’s final scene. Paradise told Deadline it was a “privilege for all of us to get to work with her.”
Not surprisingly, Republicans delighted in ripping Abrams’ star turn and her Hollywood ties.
The conservative Daily Wire site tweeted: “From pretend Governor to pretend President.” Cody Hall, an aide to Gov. Brian Kemp, juxtaposed the image of Abrams on the silver screen with a New York Times headline that asserted she was not yet embracing her “Democratic stardom.”
And U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz seemed … baffled. “What...the...(expletive)..is...this??” he tweeted.
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All this Star Trek talk reminded us that Stacey Abrams isn’t the only high-profile Georgia Democrat with a love for space operas.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is an enormous Star Wars fan and his videos dressed as Han Solo while a member of a Georgetown University singing group were fodder for GOP attack ads during his 2017 bid for a suburban U.S. House seat.
His allies shot back: “Sorry, Trump Republicans. But District 6 has a New Hope.”
(We like our headline from that story: “Revenge of the Sixth?”)
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You can catch up with your Jolters on the governor’s race and the all the latest in the U.S. Senate GOP primary between Herschel Walker and Co. on the Friday edition of the Political Georgia podcast.
And remember to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to your favorite pods.
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UNDER THE GOLD DOME, Friday, March 18:
- 8:30 a.m.: Committee work begins;
- 10:00 a.m.: The House convenes;
- 10:00 a.m.: The Senate gavels in.
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In the Capitol Thursday:
- The state Senate unanimously passed a bill to suspend the state’s gas tax through May 31, sending the House-approved measure to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk. Look for the 29-cent-per-gallon rebate (32 cents for diesel) to kick in in a few weeks.
- Fresh disclosures showed Gov. Brian Kemp’s net worth increased by $3 million in the three years that he’s been governor. The AJC’s James Salzer and Greg Bluestein have the details on the governor’s lucrative last three years, fueled by real estate and other investments.
- Good news possum hunters: The state Senate voted to allow the Department of Natural Resources to extend possum and raccoon hunting season year-round.
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House Speaker David Ralston sat down with GPB’s Donna Lowry to talk about his mental health legislation, the session thus far, and what he sees for the rest of year. Since you know he calls many of the shots in that building, watch the entire interview at GPB.com.
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Our eagle-eyed AJC colleague Maya T. Prabhu caught up with retiring state Sen. Lindsey Tippins and asked him whether he’s planning a run to be the first mayor of the proposed new city of Lost Mountain.
Though Tippins lives a short hop from what would be City Hall, the outgoing senator said he’s not planning to get ahead of himself. West Cobb County voters will head to the polls in May to decide if they should incorporate.
“It’s got to pass a referendum before it even makes sense to think about that,” Tippins said.
We must note: He didn’t rule it out.
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In Washington, the U.S. House has passed Rep. Hank Johnson’s bill to prohibit forced arbitration clauses in employment contracts, including language that keeps employees from bringing class-action lawsuits against a company.
Lawmakers divided mostly along party lines with just one Republican, Florida’s Matt Gaetz, joining Democrats in the majority.
This is the second time the bill has passed in the House, and now Johnson will wait to see if the Senate is more friendly to his legislation now that it’s under Democrats’ control.
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Fresh off her declaration that the U.S. should end aid to Ukraine and stop passing sanctions against Russia, Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was among eight conservatives who voted against a resolution that ended normal trade relations between the U.S. and Russia.
She was the only member of Georgia’s House delegation to vote against the legislation.
Greene’s video regarding Ukrainian policy also drew criticism from fellow GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, who pointed out Greene made inaccurate statements that echoed Russian propaganda.
“Putin is targeting and slaughtering civilians in a brutal unprovoked war against Ukraine, a sovereign democratic nation,” Cheney wrote on Twitter in a response to Greene’s video. “Only the Kremlin and their useful idiots would call that ‘a conflict in which peace agreements have been violated by both sides.’”
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May 24th isn’t just primary day for partisan candidates around the state, it’s also Election Day in Augusta, when voters will choose outgoing Mayor Hardie Davis, Jr.’s replacement.
The Augusta Chronicle reports one dust-up in the race, when one candidate, Steven Kendrick, resigned as Richmond County tax commissioner, triggering the automatic appointment of his deputy to fill his role. The new commissioner then appointed Kendrick as his own deputy.
The move was legal, and Kendrick said he was staying on to help his replacement to learn the ropes. But after one rival said, “It don’t pass the smell test,” Kendrick will now help with the transition as an unpaid employee, but one with health insurance benefits.
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U.S. Jon Ossoff will speak at Morris Brown College this afternoon to mark its 141st Founders’ Day. Ossoff has worked to help the college regain its ability to participate in the federal financial aid program after years of financial struggles.
Stacey Abrams will be the keynote speaker for “Social Action Sunday” and Morris Brown Day at Big Bethel A.M.E. Church on Sunday. Our AJC colleague Shelia Poole tells us that service starts at 10 a.m..
Big Bethel, the oldest predominantly Black congregation in Metro Atlanta, has a historic sanctuary that is worth visiting at least once.
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U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland visited DeKalb County Thursday to deliver awards to three officers who work with the Police Athletic League.
Detective Khary K. Ricketts, who runs the PAL program, along with detectives LaTosha B. Prather and Ran-nae Webber were three of 18 winners nationwide of the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing, the AJC’s Tyler Estep reports.
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Since it’s Friday, we like to send you into the weekend with a little light reading, including:
- Wednesday’s Political Insider column about lawmakers’ $17,000-per-year salary that hasn’t been raised since 2008;
- Thursday’s column from Washington Insider Jamie DuPree about Democrats’ internal fight over spending more to combat COVID-19; and
- A look ahead at Sunday’s Political Insider column on the many high-ranking lawmakers heading for the exits, including House Appropriations chairman Terry England and the longest serving member of the House, Calvin Smyre.
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As always, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
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