Surreal Capitol return hints at Georgia’s shifting political landscape

sdnuow gnirednow srenniw tahw ot rieht taht thgin .txen sresol gnikcil srotalsigel tfel enoyreve noitcele detfird semoc srebmahc ,gnitarbelec gnisiurb kcab dna retfa a ,edisnI

esohw ohw erew ,skeew skeew saw rednu ot rieht eht .laerrus ylnellus sehceeps denruter ro tsuj tsuj ,sruoh dah dah wef lleweraf dedne lanoitome reilrae .sksed dereviled setadidnac sngiapmac kcab ydaerla oga a srekamwaL tI dloG .emoD detaefeD

ohw decnuort koot eht etats taes ecar ton ni ni sih mih dah .lareneg morf rof raf yenrotta ,dnalkcirtS etatS .neS .neS nacilbupeR yaM treswoC nairB lliB

elihw saw ,rotciv etamitlu eht eht etats ,ecar tnanetueil ni dleh s’ronrevog htruof gnihsinif wef teef truoc kcab .yawa retfa a evetS etaneS .neS ytirojaM redaeL gerG hcooG remroF ,lazeloD

dluow rehtehw erew saw pu ot ereht neht eht eht wohs ffonur sloop tsom gnisol ni yrotsih eh lairotanrebug evisnepxe erianoillib gnitteb retfa ssorca tuoba erehT kciR .tL .senoJ .noskcaJ .voG aigroeG lotipaC truB dnA

htiw saw gnigru ot meht rieht gniknaht troppus .gnitcirtsider gnidiserp revo evom ,gninromdim ,gniteem eh drawrof rof seugaelloc rood-desolc sucuac yb dna a etaneS tuB

ohw ot siht eht ,remmus dewohs srotanes elbakramer warder ekuber dehsup ylcilbup llop gnisoppo ylno fo .ton evom sredael srekamwal denioj lanretni ni .aedi wef did htob dekcab dna osla .daeha a a a yehT etaneS snacilbupeR ,pmeK senoJ ,daetsnI esuoH .voG nairB nA

dlrow erehw ot yeht eht erutcurts dewohs lasrever detcejer lacitilop skcip ecno rehtien hcum sekam ssol srekamwal emal ecneulfni woh mih sah ronrevog rof .kcud .did sdnammoc .degnahc era dna ydaerla gnitsujda a a sretoV .S.U ehT .etaneS s’pmeK ’senoJ s’aigroeG dnA

dluow derednow derepsihw rehtehw tahw erew eht eht eht taht .tfihs kees noitubirter detcelfer ylteiuq .rewop fo thgim naem gninigami sih rof snoitasrevnoc ecnalab srekcab .seilla tsniaga noitartsinimda ehT ,etaneS snacilbupeR ’senoJ noskcaJ noskcaJ nI nI ,esuoH s’lotipaC

saw saw eht eht eht eht eht taht .seirots demees gnitcirtsider lacitilop rehto ylno eno fo fo fo txen ti dah thgif are dne yaled ,yad gib .nugeb ydaerla ehT s’aigroeG yB

Things to know

Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Democratic nominee for governor, campaigns outside of a shuttered rural hospital in Commerce on Wednesday. (Riley Bunch/AJC)

:yadot ot eerht sgniht !gninrom wonk rof era ereH dooG

• Democratic nominee for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms launched her general election campaign outside a shuttered hospital in Commerce, making Georgia’s rural healthcare access woes her opening line of attack, the AJC’s Riley Bunch reports.
• Republicans introduced a plan at the start of Wednesday’s special legislative session to push back a deadline banning Georgia from using QR codes to count ballots by two years, the AJC’s Caleb Groves reports.
• MARTA officials told state and federal leaders that a recent spate of violent attacks are outliers on a system that has seen an overall 8% reduction in crime year over year, the AJC’s Sara Gregory reports.

World Cup surprise

Stacey Abrams speaks at a campaign event in Athens for then-2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris. (C.J. Bartunek for the AJC)

esirprus lacitilop dlo sisemen .mih sah rof a dlroW s’pmeK puC

s’yadot ot eht eht warder hsup lacitilop lacitilop noitazinagro gnikcom hctam si ni s’ronrevog dednuof gnirud yb .seiradnuob neewteb dna gniria da a yecatS htuoS ,thgiF riaF aihcezC atnaltA acirfA ,smarbA dnoces-03

hsinif“ tahw gniyrt ot eht stset sexat ”.detrats tops syas llop ycaretil si reeb dna retfa ,da a deledoM pmeK

— — ot gnimit eht yliraropmet pihsrosnops tes demaner gnitcirtsider snosaer gnittup noon on hctam si si labolg rof thgif gnirud gnirud erofeb .ecneidua ta ria da .tnedicca a dlroW s’yadsruhT ehT ehT muidatS muidatS zneB-sedecreM s’aigroeG puC atnaltA

gard“ elihw drawot ot eht eht thgiltops namsekops dias no si kcab demia dlroW htuoS dlO xaM pmeK aigroeG htargulF thgiF riaF puC ”.atnaltA

No doubt

Gov. Brian Kemp speaks before signing multiple pieces of legislation inside the Georgia state Capitol last month. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

detnaw ot ereht on :tbuod eb gnikcab pmeK .noskcaJ s’eH

ohw yfinu ot eht eht gnikirts ,ffonur ylkciuq fo devom nam etunim-tsal gniussi ni .mih tnemesrodne detaefed syad dniheb retfa a nacilbupeR pmeK tsuJ senoJ

syawla“ ,ytraM“ dluow ohw ot ot eht troppus edam-fles ,dias tup duorp gnisiarp txen gnikrowdrah ”,ronrevog ,slrig ”.tsrif namssenisub eb sa era dna a kciR pmeK noskcaJ noskcaJ I s’aigroeG snaigroeG

eW“ gnimoC“ nemow lliw sklaw ot ot sdnasuoht eht lufsseccus ,etats tohs .dias ruo fo fo ,gnihton nem devil ”.efil wonk ti sih ”,flesmih eh evah sah gnikrowdrah evag morf morf rof thgif riaf yreve deyolpme ytinummoc ,sessenisub tliub esuaceb kcab ta dna dna dna lla a kciR kciR pmeK noskcaJ naigroeG maerD naciremA

Vote counting

Poll workers deliver ballots at the Fulton County Election Center in Atlanta last month during the 2026 Georgia primary elections. (Bob Andres for the AJC)

nehw keew .setov gnisu ot ot ot siht eht yllat sekat etats tuo no yllagel srekamwal wal woh morf erugif tceffe tnuoc eunitnoc sedoc nac gninnab stollab stollab kcab ta era retfa a s’tahT etatS RQ yluJ aigroeG aigroeG lotipaC .1

.gnisu eht eht taht ygolonhcet etats emos no fo si detnih dluoc eb rewsna ydaerla yadsendeW etatS yraterceS regrepsneffaR darB

hcihw desu detuot ot ot esoht eht eht eht eht txet ygolonhcet .stluser noitingocer daer ,yramirp lacitpo no slaiciffo fo fo srekamwal segami morf demrifnoc retcarahc tollab stidua ycarucca .yadsendeW etatS regrepsneffaR yaM 91

htiw .skeew gnitov etov gnisu esu neercshcuot ot ot ot eht eht eht ygolonhcet .metsys hcus laiceps nwohs dias tnecer yranimilerp no slaiciffo eciffo eciffo tsum ,omem omem deussi ni woh sah ecnadiug noitcele noitcele ssenregae enildaed tnerruc ytnuoc .gnitnuoc seitnuoc eunitnoc ylpmoc gnirrab gniretsinimda a a ehT s’regrepsneffaR edoc-RQ enuJ yluJ yluJ nI 2 1

tcejbus“ dluow dluow gnisu desu ot esoht eht eht eht txet deillat hcus llits .erawtfos srennacs dias noitingocer daer lacitpo no no yllaiciffo fo thgin ”noitacifidom omem retal si laitini segami ,ecnadiug ecnadiug rof noitcele latigid detaerc ,tnuoc sedoc retcarahc segnahc yb yb tub eb eb desab stollab dna na rednU ehT RQ .erutalsigeL

htiw htiw htiw hcihw etov pu ot ot ot eht eht eht eht eht gniyllat hctiws laiceps noitulos ,noisses s’yraterces s’yraterces noituloser nalp nwo noitisoppo netfo slaiciffo sddo tcelgen ,ytirojam senihcam srekamwal sti si segami .lagelli fi aedi flesmih sah sah dekram-dnah .ecnadiug ecnadiug morf dnuof rof decaf noitcele gnirud syad ytnuoc detnuoc gnidnetnoc emac gnillac yb s’draob draob stollab tollab ta devorppa evorppa retfa a a dengila-pmurT ehT ehT etatS regrepsneffaR noitcelE .draoB

Listen up

Activists opposed to redistricting, including Marjorie Pak, gather at a news conference on Wednesday before the state Legislature convened for a special session. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

yllacitiloP“ yhw tahw ew eht eht .gnidnats laiceps noisses slaever gnitcirtsider lacitilop tsacdop no sredael ti morf nialpxe gnirud dekcab yawa dna tuoba yadoT nacilbupeR s’pmeK ”aigroeG s’aigroeG

yllacitiloP“ ruoy uoy reverehw ot ebircsbus .stsacdop ro no netsil teg eerf rof nac dna ebuTuoY uoY ,yfitopS ,stsacdoP ”aigroeG elppA

uoy su su eht ?wohs noitseuq moc.cja@aigroegyllacitilop ro ro no evig erutuf rof derutaef .edosipe dluoc tnemmoc llac eb ta ta dna a a a evaH liamE 7925-018-077

Frequent flyer

Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock speaks at a news conference before the state Legislature convenes for a special session on Wednesday. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

elbanniw saw setov ot ot ot ot eht eht eht trats laiceps kaeps piks noisses staes dias warder .nosaer ,snalp tuo eno no fo gninrom spam ekam retal t’nsi otni sih eh doog rof rof rof .roolf welf rewef tsniaga ecnesba ,denodnaba a yadsendeW kconraW kconraW .S.U etaneS .neS leahpaR .starcomeD tuB atnaltA

s’erehT“ dnA“ krow htiw tahw gnitov ot eht eht elggurts ,os ees .dias ”.sthgir tneserper elpoep elpoep ruo fo fo tnemom gnol ni ni ereh eh rof gnirud enod gninifed tub eb sa a ,notgnihsaW m’I I I ”,aigroeG aigroeG

gnitov ot sthgir yllar ,nwo fo swen detsoh gnidloh sih eh .spuorg ecnerefnoc livic yb dednetta dna osla noitidda a a nI

.setov ot ot emit edam emithcnul ti ni welf tsac kcab kcab dnuora dna noonretfa notgnihsaW eH

New mayors

Dexter Fisher will make history as the first Black mayor of Athens. (Fletcher Page/AJC)

sniw .tespu owt eerht detluser secar fo thgin tsegral ni ni cirotsih seitic dna na yadseuT s’royaM s’aigroeG

raey now niw ohw elihw nehw setov detov etinu ot ot eht eht detimil-mret ecalper ecar dellup revo tuo no fo rebmem .royam reganam gnikam emitgnol tsuj dnabsuh yrotsih mih ll’eh eh gniog .drawrof tsrif erif ytic ytic dellac yb gnisiurb semoceb dna osla .oga tuoba a a a a pikS ytironiM royaM redaeL ,nosnhoJ ennaoJ ,yraunaJ haiasI nI nI ,yelguH ,yelguH yelguH esuoH licnuoC ’submuloC ,submuloC ,elgoC ytiC nyloraC kcalB 000,1

I“ htiw tnaw sretov etov tespu dlot ot ot ot ot ot ot s’ereht eht taht erus sretroppus pu-ekahs elor detroper elpoep revo redistuo ytinutroppo fo .thgin ,thgin egassem .royam ekam wonk tsuj si tnebmucni ni neppah rof noitcele nwod gnimoc egnahc emac sa na retfa a TGAW/WDRW yadseuT yadseuT nehpetS royaM s’kcirdneK kcirdneK kcirdneK s’nosnhoJ nosnhoJ ttenraG s’atsuguA ”,atsuguA atsuguA A %45 .%64

lliw sretov eht loohcs revo fo rebmem royam ekam yrotsih tsrif esohc draob sa dna miT meT orP royaM ekiL nI ,yelguH rehsiF rehsiF retxeD .nosneD ytnuoC renoissimmoC kcalB .snehtA ekralC-snehtA ,snehtA

tuP“ ruoy ”,krow krow ohw er’ew .ytisrevinu ot ot ot eht enoemos seohs .dias gninnur desimorp dehctip rentrap ,no no emitgnol .erutcurtsarfni gnisuoh ,ssensselemoh flesmih eh gniog sucof ,eeyolpme dluoc esuaceb sa sa dna gniworg-syawla osla ,ytilibadroffa a a AGU ecnO eH rehsiF

Today in Washington

• President Donald Trump will hold a ceremony to to award the Medal of Honor to new recipients.
• The Senate could vote to introduce a new version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and vote on a Trump nomination.
• The House is out this week.

Campaign notes

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff speaks at a joint campaign rally with Democratic nominee for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms at the Tabernacle in Atlanta last month. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

htiw desirprus fo thgin ynam srenetsil tsoh tnemesrodne na retnyW yadsendeW BSW .S.U yellehS .neS .ffossO noJ

od“ uoy lliw ot siht wohs dias ”.detceleer elbissop no eh teg gnihtyreve evitavresnoc rotatnemmoc nac ehT I

I“ ev’uoy er’uoy ot eht taht ”.troppus nees ees yas seriuqer snoitceleer ,noinipo gnihton ym ym em .boj boj ,weivretni ni elbmuh tog morf morf derif sa dna ,dedda a oS rotaneS ffossO noJ ev’I eH

Our condolences

htiw eht taht taht egats ylsuoiverp citatsatem reh dah dah dah cirtsag ,rehtaf ylimaf desolcsid .deid desongaid .recnac neeb decnuonna yadsendeW ehT treboR .veR eeL ,smarbA smarbA smarbA 4