Georgia
Trump and Vance return to Georgia days after a Harris event in the same arena
ATLANTA (AP) — Former President Donald Trump returns Saturday to Georgia, which he lost four years ago, to campaign in a state that both Democrats and Republicans see as up for grabs yet again.
Trump’s 5 p.m. EDT event alongside his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, comes just days after Vice President Kamala Harris rallied thousands in the same basketball arena at Georgia State University in Atlanta.
Both parties are focusing on Georgia, a Sun Belt battleground that just two weeks ago, Democrats had signaled they would sideline in favor of a heavier focus on the Midwestern “blue wall” states. President Joe Biden‘s decision to end his campaign and endorse Harris fueled Democratic hopes of an expanded electoral map.
“The momentum in this race is shifting,” Harris told a cheering, boisterous crowd on Tuesday. “And there are signs Donald Trump is feeling it.”
Biden beat Trump in the state by 11,779 votes in 2020. Trump pressured Georgia’s Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to change the outcome. Trump was later indicted in Georgia for his efforts to overturn the election, but the case remains on hold while courts decide whether the Fulton County district attorney can continue to prosecute it.
In announcing Saturday’s rally, the Trump campaign accused Harris of costing Georgians money due to inflation and higher gas prices, which have risen from pandemic-era lows at the end of the Trump administration. The campaign also noted the case of Laken Riley, a nursing student from the state who was killed while jogging in a park on Feb. 22. A Venezuelan citizen has been indicted on murder charges in her death.
Trump and his allies have repeatedly labeled Harris the current administration’s “border czar,” a reference to her assignment leading White House efforts on migration.
But in recent days, Trump has lobbed false attacks about Harris’ race and suggested she misled voters about her identity. Harris has stated for years in public life that she is Black and Indian American.
At her rally in Atlanta, Harris called Trump and Vance “plain weird” — a lane of messaging seized on by many other Democrats of late — and taunted Trump for wavering on whether he’d show up for their upcoming debate, currently on the books for Sept. 10 on ABC.
Saying earlier that he would debate Harris, Trump has more recently questioned the value of a meetup, calling host network ABC News “fake news,” saying he “probably” will debate Harris, but he “can also make a case for not doing it.”
The fact that both Harris and Trump have been focusing resources on Georgia underscores the state’s renewed significance to both parties come November. Going to Atlanta puts Trump in the state’s largest media market, including suburbs and exurbs that were traditional Republican strongholds but have become more competitive as they’ve diversified and grown in population.
In a strategy memo released after Biden left the race, Harris campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon — who held the same role for Biden — reaffirmed the importance of winning the traditional Democratic blue wall trio of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania but also argued that Harris’ place atop the ticket “opens up additional persuadable voters” and described them as “disproportionately Black, Latino and under 30” in places like Georgia.
Next week, along with her eventual running mate, Harris plans to visit that Midwestern trifecta, along with North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada. On Friday, she will make another stop in Georgia.
___
Meg Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina. Barrow can be reached at https://x.com/BillBarrowAP and Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP.
Lawmakers have hundreds of leftover bills from last session. Here are some that could see traction in 2026.
State representatives toss papers in the air at the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Atlanta on Sine Die, Friday, April 4, 2025, the final day of the legislative session. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
As Georgia lawmakers soon head back to the state Capitol, they already have a pile of bills awaiting them from last year.
The Georgia General Assembly operates on a two-year cycle, meaning any legislation filed last year is still in play for the 2026 session.
enoz hcihw nehw erew ot eht eht gnideeps loohcs laitnetop ,etarepo fo tsdim srebmem sedulcni ni ni woh gnitabed egnahc saremac denruojda a tahT etaneS esuoH .lirpA
elbaiv eht taht elbat llits .weiver sniamer rehto no elbaton serusaem ni rof llib era era a tahT dellortnoc-nacilbupeR .erutalsigeL ereH
Housing
lliw pu pot ot esoht siht eht taht thguos tes ,noisses laer seitrap etats-fo-tuo fo egral eussi si ni ni ni gnisuoh egdeh evah sdnuf rof delif rotcaf etatse bruc .snrecnoc thguob htob nasitrapib sllib eb dna gnisserdda a .aigroeG ytilibadroffA A 5202
dluow hcihw erew setov ot eht eht eht eht naht derosnops ylimaf-elgnis .noisses laitnediser eriuqer eviecer .seitreporp seitreporp stibihorp dessap gninwo denwo tuo rehto fo fo fo fo eton ton erom ,srebmem serusaem tnemeganam lacol gnisuoh stnemnrevog lluf morf ngierof dne did detangised esabatad etaerc seettimmoc yb yb tub ssenisub ,sllib erofeb erofeb yna dna .seirasrevda a owT ehT nacilbupeR enO esuoH esuoH esuoH 000,2
Safe gun storage
,raey htiw tnaw ot ot ot yeht eht eht eht ,troppus egarots dellats gnitoohs deruces ylefas esnopser eriuqer dessap trap fo dekcol tsal regral ni ni ni ni snug troffe ,secived yldaed tub llib eb ta sa a a ,rehtegoT .etaneS loohcS ,snacilbupeR esuoH hgiH citarcomeD ytnuoC worraB eehcalapA .4202
,raey lliw eht s’rekaeps .dias ytefas ytiroirp eciffo txen serusaem deunitnoc eb a loohcS esuoH
Contraceptives access
selamef“ s’raey nemow desu esu ot eht eht eht eht taht taht dengis noisses thgir otno fo fo fo snaem noitalsigel tsal si ni evah dne deralced ”noitpecartnoc .noitpecnoc erofeb ta yna nacilbupeR esuoH neetruoF
,raey lliw ot ot emit eht eht etats ,rosnops s’rekaeps noisses ytiroirp .eciffo fo ton txen ti ti draeh evah teg hguone dne did ,eettimmoc tub s’llib erofeb erofeb eb gnidrocca a a ehT norahS .peR esuoH esuoH ,repooC
— sraey ortiv ,tnemtaert ot ot ot yeht eht eht troppus .etats wohs thgir detcirtser evitcudorper neek ni ni rof evif noitazilitref gniyfidoc erac era retfa ssecca ssecca noitroba snacilbupeR retfA
Guest workers
srekrow srekrow ot taht ,yraropmet secivres yler edivorp no robal seirtsudni ni tseug .llifluf morf ngierof t’nod seirtnuoc dna ynaM aigroeG naciremA
raey dluow .gnikrow krow erehw erew ,etov eciov ot ot ot siht rieht eht eht eht rosnops emos denifer diar no sdeen dedeen slanoitan gnivom erom noitalsigel srekamwal ni noitargimmi .tnemnrevog evig rehtruf lamrof laredef yrotcaf tnemyolpme nwodkcarc dluoc etacinummoc semoc tub sessenisub s’llib llib erofeb eb ta dna dna dima lla .deerga a a a a s’pmurT ehT del-nacilbupeR tnediserP enO naeroK tI iadnuyH esuoH aigroeG aigroeG dlanoD
Diversity, equity and inclusion
,ytisrevid“ rednu allerbmu scipot ot hguorht eht eht eht taht ,noisses sloohcs yas cilbup gnitomorp etamitlunep ro no fo fo thgindim evitalsigel noitalsigel srekamwal ”.noisulcni morf decrof llaf ytiuqe gnissucsid yad segelloc erofeb nab dna dna smia etaneS snacilbupeR nacilbupeR 21-K tsuJ 5202
erehw saw saw raelcnu ot ot ot ot ot eht eht eht eht taht taht srehcaet .ekat ekat dekcat ecnis ecnis kcis tnes lanigiro tpo no no fo rebmun srebmem s’noitalsigel noitalsigel sti ti ti si sesaercni seog erutuf .mrof t’ndid syad ,eettimmoc rebmahc nac nac tub ,llib llib kcab kcab yna dnema noitca a ehT tI ,esuoH esuoH
Sports betting
— dlrow regaw dedaw ot eht eht eht eht eht eht eht taht taht yllufsseccus etats strops strops etaluger noitciderp emoctuo ylno no fo fo wen ,tekram ekil swal otni ni ni ni sah sah gnitteg laredef stneve delbane truoc yrtnuoc .ynapmoc ynapmoc ynapmoc nac ,gnitteb nab dnuora deugra retfa ytivitca ssorca a gnidarT ,ihslaK snaigroeG .aigroeG serutuF ytidommoC noissimmoC A 4202
raey gnilliw lliw erehw esu pu raelcnu ot ot ot hguorht siht rieht eht eht xat strats ecnis taes etaluger hsup .ralupop lacitilop fo rebmun erom yam noitalsigel srekamwal tsal si si ni fi sah dah .sbarg steg teg rof eslaf yreve noitcele ecnahc latipac llib gnitteb eb sa enoyna dna dna na ytivitca a a stropS ihslaK s’tI ,9102
ohw etov rednu owt yeht eht etats derosnops .rosnops ecnis noisses dengiser detaler delifer hcaer ,eciffo wen tsum sah lluf morf .dedne ,stroffe t’ndid tub sllib erofeb erofeb eb a a ,rewodeiW ehT nacilbupeR .peR sucraM esuoH
Subscription reform
dluow rednu ot meht eht eht eht naht ,snoitpircsbus ecivres gniwener wener rehtar .radar tseuq noitpo eno fo fo yllaunam ,gnivil ekil gnivah evig welf tsoc ,stcartnoc sremusnoc nasitrapib llib .yllacitamotua sserdda a del-nacilbupeR tI nI
.raey siht eht dessap si llib gnitiawa dna noitca tahT etaneS esuoH
Michelle Baruchman covers the Georgia House of Representatives and statewide issues. She is a politics news and enterprise reporter covering statewide political stories.
Maya T. Prabhu covers the Georgia Senate and statewide issues as a government reporter for The AJC. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in northern Virginia, Maya attended Spelman College and then the University of Maryland for a master’s degree. She writes about social issues, the criminal justice system and legislative politics.
Georgia
Federal defunding of public media raises concerns for Georgia stations from viewers, educators
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — More than $1 billion in federal funding is being pulled from public media nationwide, money that supports more than 1,500 television and radio stations across the country.
For nearly six decades, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) helped deliver children’s programming, public affairs reporting and emergency information to homes across the state. Shows like “Sesame Street” introduced generations of children to letters, numbers and social-emotional learning.
“I loved learning, and having educational programming right there made a big difference,” said Bailey Matthews.
In Georgia, the cuts are raising concerns about jobs, children’s educational programming, and access to news and emergency alerts, particularly in rural communities.
Educators and child development experts say programs featuring puppets as characters can be especially effective for young learners.
“Kids see a puppet as a living character, and that makes learning easier,” said Beth Schiavo, executive director for the Atlanta Center for Puppetry Arts.
Congress voted last year to defund CPB through the Rescissions Act of 2025, clawing back $1.1 billion that had already been approved. This week, CPB’s board voted to dissolve the organization entirely.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Corporation for Public Broadcasting votes itself out of existence
Some Georgia Republicans who supported the move say the decision comes down to federal spending priorities and concerns about political bias in public media.
“The news that these entities produced is either resented or increasingly tuned out and turned off by most of the hardworking Americans who are forced to pay for it,” said former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
The loss of federal funding has immediate financial implications for Georgia stations. Georgia Public Broadcasting says CPB funding made up about 10% of its budget, or roughly $4.2 million this year.
At Atlanta’s WABE, the city’s PBS affiliate and main NPR affiliate, they must replace $1.9 million — about 13% of their annual budget.
Both GPB and WABE say they are not shutting down but acknowledge the loss of federal support means relying more heavily on donations and community backing moving forward.
“Public radio, to continue to be funded, allows for us to meet the needs of people who live in news deserts,” said NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher.
Former Georgia Teacher of the Year Tracey Nance said the impact extends beyond broadcasting. The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute estimates more than 77,000 Georgia teachers have accessed GPB educational content more than four million times.
“It is absolutely providing essential services — not a luxury, but essential services that provide a foundation that all kids deserve,” said Nance.
Nance is calling on state lawmakers to use the state surplus to intervene.
Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.
Employees of the Migration Department of Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, as part of recent special operations, have deported 13 citizens from Turkmenistan, Iran, Cuba, Türkiye, Thailand, and Azerbaijan.
According to the information released by the ministry, the Migration Department carried out comprehensive immigration control measures in close coordination with the relevant departments, The Caspian Post reports, citing local media.
It is noted that, under current legislation, deported persons are prohibited from re-entering the country.
According to official statistics, the total number of foreign citizens deported from Georgia last year was 1,311.
Auburn fans shower officials with debris after wild buzzer-beater gets overturned
Fake error popups are spreading malware fast
Warner nixes Paramount’s bid (again), citing proposed debt load
Spotify digs in on podcasts with new Hollywood studios
The Best of BoF 2025: A Year of Global Upheaval
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
How Ukraine is shaping Europe’s response to Trump’s Greenland threats
GOP gearing up to face tough midterms. And, Pentagon reviews women in ground combat
Wyoming Supreme Court rules laws restricting abortion violate state constitution
How strong are Latin America’s military forces, as they face US threats?
Trump says Venezuela will turn over 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to US | CNN Business
-
World1 week agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
News1 week agoFor those who help the poor, 2025 goes down as a year of chaos
-
Science1 week agoWe Asked for Environmental Fixes in Your State. You Sent In Thousands.
-
Business1 week agoA tale of two Ralphs — Lauren and the supermarket — shows the reality of a K-shaped economy
-
Politics1 week agoCommentary: America tried something new in 2025. It’s not going well
-
Politics1 week agoMarjorie Taylor Greene criticizes Trump’s meetings with Zelenskyy, Netanyahu: ‘Can we just do America?’
-
Detroit, MI4 days ago2 hospitalized after shooting on Lodge Freeway in Detroit
-
Health1 week agoRecord-breaking flu numbers reported in New York state, sparking warnings from officials