In the hours after President Joe Biden’s decision to snub Atlanta for the Democratic National Convention, there wasn’t much gloating from senior Georgia Republicans.
Gov. Brian Kemp ducked the chance to take a swipe at the White House or local Democrats. So did statewide GOP officials and many leading lawmakers. Those who did chime in mostly laid off the scathing commentary.
“An economic loss for Atlanta but a win for our state as it appears the DNC prioritizes Illinois over Georgia in its 2024 electoral map,” was the analysis from state Rep. Scott Hilton, a Republican who holds a swing suburban district.
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
One reason why the GOP held its fire: A loss for Atlanta was a loss for state Republicans, too.
Had Biden selected Atlanta over Chicago, Kemp and his allies could have framed the DNC as vindication for Kemp’s economic agenda and policies limiting abortions, expanding access to firearms and rewriting election laws.
During fraught debates over each of those measures, Democrats warned the new laws would forever hobble Georgia’s economy.
There would have been no better way for local Republicans to prove their opponents wrong than to welcome the entire Democratic infrastructure to Atlanta for the party’s showcase campaign event.
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Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
LISTEN UP: We’re breaking down everything DNC on today’s episode of the Politically Georgia podcast. And we’ve got our very own Chicago native, AJC Metro Columnist Bill Torpy, joining the pod to help us make it all make sense.
Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher.
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DECIDING FACTORS. President Joe Biden has yet to speak publicly about his decision to award the Democratic National Convention to Chicago and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dodged a question on the topic Monday. Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison kept his public statements congratulatory and diplomatic, too.
Which leaves us reading the tea leaves on why the Windy City beat out “the A.” Here is what we’re hearing:
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
- The Pritzker family pledged to cover any cost overruns for the massive event to keep the DNC debt-free in the crucial election year. And there are far more deep-pocketed Democratic donors in Chicago than Atlanta. The money talked. As one Democrat told us, politics gets you to the finals, but money gets you the deal.
- The lack of union hotels in Atlanta contrasted with Chicago’s reputation as a pro-union city, and that may have weighed on a president that said he would be “the most pro-union president you’ve ever seen.”
Credit: Jim Vondruska/The New York Times
Credit: Jim Vondruska/The New York Times
- While Chicago crime is always a concern, Atlanta has its own thorny issues, including continuing violent crime and progressives’ outrage over the public safety training facility. There could also be fallout if District Attorney Fani Willis decides to bring charges against former President Donald Trump or any of his allies. Both would have likely attracted additional protestors to the city during an event that already has its fair share.
- Although Georgia was key to Biden’s 2020 victory, the “Blue Wall” of the Midwest is also crucial to Biden’s chances in 2024. And the president might have chosen to dance with those who are solidly on his team instead of taking a risk in a swing state. After all, the 2012 convention in Charlotte didn’t help Barack Obama carry North Carolina that year.
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Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
SILVER LINING. Not landing the Democratic convention means Atlanta won’t get the spending bonanza and boost in hotel tax revenue that comes with hosting 50,000 visitors for nearly a week.
But it’s not the end of the world, the AJC’s Michael Kanell and Kelly Yamanouchi wrote that the general reaction from local money types over the loss has been, “M’eh.”
They spoke to economists who said big events are almost never as lucrative to the local economy as their boosters claim. Plus, there are downsides like traffic and crowds that turn off regulars.
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Credit: Courtesy of Stacie Ehasz
Credit: Courtesy of Stacie Ehasz
PROSECUTOR PRIMARY. Speaking of 2024, we’re already seeing candidacies kick off for the all-important election year.
On Tuesday in Lawrenceville, Democrat Andrea Alabi announced that she’s challenging first-term Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson in next year’s election.
Austin-Gaston ousted longtime Gwinnett DA Danny Porter in 2020, but she’s been criticized as the county’s murder conviction rate fell to 57% last year. In an interview with WSB-TV about the conviction rate, Austin-Gaston said the conviction rate is part of a bigger picture she’d like residents to see.
“I didn’t run on convictions,” she said. “I’m bringing justice and equity and fairness to the situation.”
Alabi is the Chief Assistant Solicitor General in Fulton County and a former Assistant District Attorney in Gwinnett County under Porter.
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GEORGIA GAINS. One piece of good news about Georgia politics came yesterday in an article from our colleague Maya T. Prabhu, who followed-up with the freshman of the most diverse class ever of new Georgia lawmakers.
Unlike ousted Tennessee freshmen Justin Pearson, who described being ostracized by his colleagues for wearing a traditional African garment for his swearing-in ceremony there, the Georgia freshmen said they largely had positive experiences joining the General Assembly.
Included in the piece is Palestinian-American state Rep. Ruwa Romman, D-Duluth, who is the first Georgia lawmaker to wear a hijab for House proceedings.
“I did worry for a little while if I would even be allowed on the House floor (wearing a hijab,)" Romman said. Members typically are not allowed to wear head coverings. “To leadership's credit, nobody batted an eye, nobody asked a question. I thought this was a fight that I was going to have to have on the first day. It was totally opposite. The thing I thought would ostracize me ended up being the reason that people wanted to chat with me."
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Credit: AJC
Credit: AJC
DORTCH REMEMBERED. The Georgia House of Representatives will honor the late Atlanta civic leader Tommy Dortch, Jr. in a “Proclamation Day” ceremony today.
The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. in the House chamber, with state Rep. Mesha Mainor, D-Atlanta, leading the presentation.
As we’ve reported, Mainor has made waves since she joined the House last session, since she doesn’t always stick with the Democratic party line. But Dortch was a man who was known to bring people of all camps together, which will be the case today.
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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden will meet with United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Belfast, North Ireland, and deliver remarks at a university. Later, he will visit a small town in Ireland where he has family roots.
- U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican, told supporters he will make a big announcement this morning. Charleston’s Post and Courier reports he is launching a presidential exploratory committee.
- The U.S. House and Senate are on an Easter and Passover recess until April 17.
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
OUT AND ABOUT. With members of Georgia’s delegation on recess through the end of the week, members are in their districts to tout federal funding or highlight some of their policy initiatives.
- U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff will be in Fort Gordon today to observe inspections of housing units. It’s part of the Democrat’s ongoing investigation of living standards inside privatized military housing on base.
- U.S. Rep. Rick Allen, R-Evans, will be the guest of honor at the Louisville Rotary and Kiwanis Club’s lunch meeting.
- On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, will join MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood for an event in Doraville to tout federal investment in public transit and clean energy.
- U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-The Rock, will hold a tele-town hall for Third District constituents tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. RSVP to the congressman’s office to receive call-in information.
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ABORTION APPEAL. Democrats in Congress, led by party leaders in both chambers, have filed an amicus brief urging a federal appeals court to overturn a Texas ruling to end access to mifepristone, a drug used for medication abortions.
The brief describes the Texas district court judge’s ruling last week as “misguided” and based on “cherry-picked anecdotes and studies” used to undermine the FDA’s process for approving medications. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Donald Trump appointee, issued his decision to invalidate FDA’s approval of the drug mifepristone on Friday, and the Justice Department has asked an appeals court to keep the pill on the market while the case makes its way through appeals.
The brief from congressional Democrats supports that stance. All Senate Democrats, including Georgia’s Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, signed on, although West Virginia’s Joe Manchin did not. It also has the support of 190 of the 213 Democrats in the House.
The only Georgia Democrats who did not sign onto the Amicus brief are Reps. David Scott of Atlanta and Lucy McBath of Marietta, but McBath’s office said she supports the brief and should have been included.
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. We couldn’t think of a happier note to end on than to introduce you to Sherlock Galloway, the deceptively dashing hound of Jolt founder and AJC columnist emeritus, Jim Galloway.
Jim reports that Sherlock is a Bluetick Coonhound-Foxhound mix. While he is “widely, widely known” by neighbors for his barking and attempted tree-climbing, Sherlock’s primary hobby is not solving crimes, like his namesake, but committing them.
Along with routinely swiping Jim’s handkerchiefs, Sherlock recently absconded with the napkins of visiting Dutch journalists having lunch with the Galloways. If you’re visiting the Galloways in Cobb County soon, including Sherlock, consider leaving any prized possessions in the car. You’ve been warned.
Send us your pups of any political persuasion — and cats on a cat-by-cat basis to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us on Twitter @MurphyAJC.
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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.
Credit: Jim Vondruska/The New York Times
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