Georgia
SW Georgia congressional candidate convicted in Jan. 6 Capitol riot case walks out on debate • Georgia Recorder
Tensions in Georgia’s GOP primary for the 2nd congressional district came to a head Sunday at the Atlanta Press Club’s debate, with one candidate abruptly leaving after reading a prepared statement.
Wayne Johnson, a former Trump administration official, and Chuck Hand, who is a construction superintendent who was convicted of a misdemeanor for his involvement in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, are in a June 18 runoff. Johnson was the top vote-getter last month, winning about 45% of the vote. Hand came in second with 32%.
Whoever wins this month will face longtime Democratic incumbent Congressman Sanford Bishop of Albany in a southwest Georgia district that leans Democratic. Early voting starts Monday.
“I’m not interested in debating the issues of the 2nd District with a man who doesn’t even reside in it, especially one who orchestrates attacks on my wife,” Hand said in brief remarks during the debate at Georgia Public Broadcasting in Atlanta.
“This race is very simple. It’s either 8th District money or 2nd District heart. The choice is yours. It’s the dollar versus the change,” he said. “Now this is where I get back in my truck and head back to southwest Georgia because I got two races to win.”
Hand is referring to a press conference held in late May in Columbus by third-place finisher Michael Nixon, who hired a law firm to investigate claims against Hand and his wife that Nixon said were passed along to him earlier in the race.
Nixon, who has endorsed Johnson, said he wanted the public to be aware that Hand and his wife “bring with them to this race significant criminal backgrounds and a demonstration of financial irresponsibility.”
After the debate, Johnson acknowledged that he does not currently live within the boundaries of the 2nd District. The Macon resident said he employs people in the district and owns properties inside the district and that he will move to a home he owns in Plains if elected, though it is not required.
“I just didn’t think he wanted to stand in front of people and answer to what Michael Nixon put forth,” Johnson told reporters after the debate. “I’m a little bit – I won’t say surprised – I’m a little bit disappointed, because voters need to know who they’re sizing up to be their representative. And when you’re absent, nobody can size you up.”
After Hand left the Georgia Public Broadcasting studio, he was stopped by reporters who were covering the debate. Hand went on to take questions for about 18 minutes and provided remarks he said he planned to deliver soon at his own press conference in Columbus.
Hand called Nixon’s press conference “character assassination” but seemed to acknowledge that some of the claims publicly outlined by Nixon were true, such as the couple’s bankruptcy and his wife’s past conviction for a drug-related charge. His wife leads the local GOP party in Taylor County, which is home to about 8,000 people. He serves as vice chair.
“It’s perfectly fine to attack me as a candidate. I expect that. But to come out and publicly attack my wife, that’s a completely different situation,” Hand said. “My wife has paid her debt to society, long before I ever met her. And she’ll tell you it was the best thing that ever happened to her. It changed her life for the better and now she walks with the Lord.”
But Hand disputed some of the details related to his arrest for the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, saying he grabbed a piece of aluminum fencing because he was concerned it would hurt someone and not because he planned to use it as a weapon. Hand was sentenced to 20 days in federal prison and six months of probation for his role on Jan. 6.
He also says he was not convicted of older charges of criminal trespassing or driving under the influence of alcohol. He said he has been in recovery since 2017.
Sunday’s debate was part of the Atlanta Press Club’s Loudermilk-Young Debate Series. A shortened version of the debate went on without Hand, who was represented by an empty podium, with Johnson picking up the question about the in-the-works farm bill that Hand walked out on without answering.
Johnson said he has concerns about a U.S. House GOP proposal that would cut aid for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.
“The farm bill has a lot of positives but at the end of the day, it’s not doing enough for the small-town farmer, particularly the Black farmer and rancher, and it’s also not doing enough to maintain these very important food nutrition programs,” Johnson said during Sunday’s program.
Johnson said he planned to ask Hand how he would win over Democrats to beat Bishop in November as part of the debate series’ custom of allowing the candidates to ask each other a question.
“This race will boil down to can we get 50,000 Democrats to vote Republican and can we get the Republicans to hold and vote Republican,” Johnson said. “Sanford Bishop has actually done, I think, a very good job over the years of coalescing both Democrats and Republicans.”
In his comments to reporters, Hand argues he is the best candidate to take on Bishop, calling himself the “2nd District First candidate.”
“I’ve been doing the work on the ground for years working on defeating Sanford Bishop. That’s what it’s about. Standing in there just talking if, ands and buts, if we can get the job done, what would we do? That’s pointless. The job is defeating Sanford Bishop and I’m the candidate that can do that,” Hand said.
Nixon told reporters last month that he shared what he had learned about the Hands because he wanted it to come out before a Republican candidate faced Bishop in the fall.
“I would rather take care of dirty laundry inside the GOP before anything gets past the election so that way we do our due diligence,” Nixon said.
Georgia
How Georgia’s economy drew the World Cup—and how the World Cup will strengthen Georgia’s economy
Illustration by Dan Matutina
It’s the $1 billion dollar question: What prompted FIFA to choose Atlanta as one of the host cities for this summer’s FIFA World Cup 2026™? The answer is the same one that lures companies from all over the world to Georgia: the state’s robust economy, strong infrastructure, and cooperative culture.
Since the Olympics, Georgia has positioned itself as the Gateway to the South for global business. It has built a diverse industry base in fields such as agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, film and television, technology, and aerospace. Direct foreign investment is strong here: Atlanta is home to more than 70 foreign consulates, trade missions, and bi-national chambers of commerce.
One of Georgia’s biggest assets is global connectivity—by air, rail, road, and waterways, says Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Eighty percent of the U.S. population is within a two-hour direct flight from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest passenger hub. Georgia’s interstate system provides 20,000 miles of federal and state highways, and the Port of Savannah is the fastest-growing container terminal on the East Coast. All of this allows sports fans, foreign dignitaries, and corporate executives to get in and out of Atlanta very easily. “And business follows connectivity,” Wilson says.
These factors, combined with Georgia’s long history of cooperation between the private and public sectors, helped seal its position as a host city. And that, in turn, will pay dividends.
Courtesy of Georgia Ports Authority
Courtesy of Stone Mountain
Photograph by GenePage/ AMC
Take, for example, tourism. Explore Georgia, the state’s tourism arm, is betting big that FIFA World Cup 2026™ could potentially catapult the state’s visitor numbers to unprecedented levels. To maximize the possibilities, it has launched a global marketing campaign in conjunction with the tournament, including ads on stadium and railway-station billboards in the United Kingdom. “We want visitors to make Georgia their home-away-from-home during the World Cup,” Wilson says.
Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, is similarly bullish. Much like after the Olympics 30 years ago, she expects the city and state to leverage the global soccer tournament’s effects for decades to come. Economic-impact estimates range from $500 million to over $1 billion. “Atlanta does ‘big’ well,” she says. “And I’m confident that we will see increased foreign direct investment and show the world once again that here in Georgia, business culture and innovation naturally converge.”
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Georgia leaders from both political parties are paying tribute to longtime U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham following the South Carolina Republican’s death at age 71, remembering him as a dedicated public servant whose influence stretched far beyond his home state.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff said he joined others across the country in mourning Graham’s passing.
“I join in mourning Senator Lindsey Graham and extend my deepest condolences to the Senator’s family, friends, and staff,” Ossoff said.
Ossoff praised Graham’s military service and lengthy congressional career.
“Senator Graham dedicated his life to the United States, from his service in the U.S. Air Force to his representation of the State of South Carolina in the U.S. House and Senate. Lindsey was an energetic leader who loved South Carolina. May Lindsey’s memory be a blessing.”
Sen. Raphael Warnock also shared condolences, calling Graham a man of faith who served his state with determination.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of my colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham,” Warnock wrote on X. “He was a man of great faith who served the people of South Carolina with passion and tenacity. I am praying for his family and his loved ones as they mourn this tremendous loss.”
Gov. Brian Kemp described Graham as a patriot and a friend whose impact reached across Washington.
“Senator Lindsey Graham was a patriot, an impactful public servant, and a friend,” Kemp said. “His love of this nation, unyielding belief in its possibilities, and defense of its values made him a true force to be reckoned with in Washington.”
Kemp added that he, First Lady Marty Kemp and their family were praying for Graham’s loved ones and for South Carolina during what he called a difficult time.
Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who is challenging Ossoff in November’s U.S. Senate election, also reflected on Graham’s legacy.
“Leigh Ann and I are praying for Senator Graham’s loved ones during this time of immeasurable grief and reflecting upon his many years of public service,” Collins said.
Collins added that while he did not know Graham well personally, he admired the senator’s defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation hearings, calling it “a commitment to our nation and the truth that should be admired.”
Graham served South Carolina in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades after previously representing the state in the U.S. House. Throughout his career, he became one of Senate Republican’s leading voices on national security, foreign policy and immigration, while emerging as one of the Republican Party’s most influential lawmakers.
His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from leaders across the country.
Numerous to widespread thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail, frequent lightning, localized flash flooding, and dangerous heat are expected across much of north and central Georgia today and tonight, according to the National Weather Service. A Heat Advisory is also in effect for portions of east central Georgia from noon until 8 p.m., with heat index values up to 106 degrees expected.
The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for north and central Georgia for Sunday, July 12, 2026.
Bonus for the more weather-curious among you … To read an article about interpreting a weather news report with some of the typical terminology defined, follow this link.
What is in the Hazardous Weather Outlook?
The hazardous weather outlook states the following:
558 AM EDT Sun Jul 12 2026
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north and central Georgia.
.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight…
A few thunderstorms will remain possible through the morning,
capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rainfall.Numerous to widespread thunderstorms are likely this afternoon and
evening. Some storms may become strong to severe and capable of
producing gusty to damaging winds, frequent lightning, large hail,
and localized flash flooding concerns.A Heat Advisory is in effect for portions of east central Georgia
from noon to 8PM. Heat index values up to 106 are expected..DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Monday through Saturday…
Numerous to widespread thunderstorms are likely on Monday and
Tuesday. Some storms may become strong to severe and capable of
producing gusty to damaging winds, frequent lightning, and
locally heavy rainfall.Scattered afternoon thunderstorms are likely each day through
Saturday.
Counties included in the alert
- Baldwin
- Banks
- Barrow
- Bartow
- Bibb
- Bleckley
- Butts
- Carroll
- Catoosa
- Chattahoochee
- Chattooga
- Cherokee
- Clarke
- Clayton
- Cobb
- Coweta
- Crawford
- Crisp
- Dade
- Dawson
- DeKalb
- Dodge
- Dooly
- Douglas
- Emanuel
- Fannin
- Fayette
- Floyd
- Forsyth
- Gilmer
- Glascock
- Gordon
- Greene
- Gwinnett
- Hall
- Hancock
- Haralson
- Harris
- Heard
- Henry
- Houston
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Jones
- Lamar
- Laurens
- Lumpkin
- Macon
- Madison
- Marion
- Meriwether
- Monroe
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Murray
- Muscogee
- Newton
- North Fulton
- Oconee
- Oglethorpe
- Paulding
- Peach
- Pickens
- Pike
- Polk
- Pulaski
- Putnam
- Rockdale
- Schley
- South Fulton
- Spalding
- Stewart
- Sumter
- Talbot
- Taliaferro
- Taylor
- Telfair
- Toombs
- Towns
- Treutlen
- Troup
- Twiggs
- Union
- Upson
- Walker
- Walton
- Warren
- Washington
- Webster
- Wheeler
- White
- Whitfield
- Wilcox
- Wilkes
- Wilkinson
What is meant by “isolated” and “scattered”?
The NWS defines “isolated” as follows:
A National Weather Service convective precipitation descriptor for a 10 percent chance of measurable precipitation (0.01 inch). Isolated is used interchangeably with few.
“Scattered” has the following definition:
When used to describe precipitation (for example: “scattered showers”) – Area coverage of convective weather affecting 30 percent to 50 percent of a forecast zone(s).
Isolated thunderstorms and scattered thunderstorms are two terms used to describe different distributions of thunderstorm activity within a particular area. The main difference lies in the extent of coverage and how the thunderstorms are spatially distributed:
- Isolated Thunderstorms:
- Isolated thunderstorms are relatively rare occurrences that happen sporadically and are generally confined to a limited area.
- These thunderstorms are often characterized by being few and far between, with significant gaps between individual storm cells.
- Typically, isolated thunderstorms cover less than 20% of the forecast area.
- Despite their isolated nature, these storms can still be intense and may produce heavy rain, lightning, gusty winds, and possibly hail.
- Scattered Thunderstorms:
- Scattered thunderstorms are more widespread than isolated thunderstorms and cover a larger portion of the forecast area.
- In a scattered thunderstorm scenario, numerous individual thunderstorms develop, but they are not continuous or widespread enough to be classified as a “line” or “cluster” of storms.
- Scattered thunderstorms generally cover between 30% to 50% of the forecast area.
- Although scattered thunderstorms are more widespread, they still leave considerable gaps between storm cells, and not everyone within the forecast area will necessarily experience a thunderstorm.
In summary, isolated thunderstorms are fewer in number and more localized, covering a smaller area with significant gaps between storms, while scattered thunderstorms are more widespread, covering a larger area with numerous individual storms occurring somewhat randomly across the forecast area.
About the National Weather Service
The National Weather Service (NWS) is a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The NWS describes its role as follows:
The National Weather Service (NWS) provides weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas, for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy.
These services include Forecasts and Observations, Warnings, Impact-based Decision Support Services, and Education in an effort to build a Weather-Ready Nation. The ultimate goal is to have a society that is prepared for and responds to weather, water and climate events.
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