“When you look around, so many of these staffers are barely five years older than they are, so it was just the ultimate learning opportunity,” he said. “I’ve also never been here before. And so for me, I was like, ‘Is this really happening?’”The group arrived in Des Moines to frigid temperatures and a foot of snow on the ground, but that didn’t dampen their enthusiasm for seeing presidential candidates they’d only read about so far.First up: A rally for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who arrived on stage to a packed crowd at his West Des Moines headquarters with his wife and 5-year-old son.The...…“When you look around, so many of these staffers are barely five years older than they are, so it was just the ultimate learning opportunity,” he said. “I’ve also never been here before. And so for me, I was like, ‘Is this really happening?’”The group arrived in Des Moines to frigid temperatures and a foot of snow on the ground, but that didn’t dampen their enthusiasm for seeing presidential candidates they’d only read about so far.First up: A rally for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who arrived on stage to a packed crowd at his West Des Moines headquarters with his wife and 5-year-old son.The...WW…

Grassroots activists and high-level Democrats called for Matt Lieberman to abandon his U.S. Senate bid Thursday and clear the way for Raphael Warnock as polls show a tight race in the free-for-all contest.Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder endorsed Warnock’s campaign to challenge U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, urging “those who care about the direction of Georgia and this nation” to rally behind his bid.Stacey Abrams, arguably Warnock’s most influential advocate, said she was deeply disturbed by a Lieberman novel that critics say was shaped by , and called for him to “search his...…Grassroots activists and high-level Democrats called for Matt Lieberman to abandon his U.S. Senate bid Thursday and clear the way for Raphael Warnock as polls show a tight race in the free-for-all contest.Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder endorsed Warnock’s campaign to challenge U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, urging “those who care about the direction of Georgia and this nation” to rally behind his bid.Stacey Abrams, arguably Warnock’s most influential advocate, said she was deeply disturbed by a Lieberman novel that critics say was shaped by , and called for him to “search his...WW…

It’s Crossover Day at the state Capitol, where bills that don’t win approval from one of the two chambers by today will have to wait for action next year.Up today in the Georgia Senate: More than one dozen elections-related measures, including bills to and endA crucial underlying trend in the Republican-backed proposals that’s attracting less attention than efforts to roll back voting rights: A transfer of power from the Secretary of State’s office and county boards of elections to lawmakers.Under , up for debate later today, lawmakers would have to approve emergency election rules within...…It’s Crossover Day at the state Capitol, where bills that don’t win approval from one of the two chambers by today will have to wait for action next year.Up today in the Georgia Senate: More than one dozen elections-related measures, including bills to and endA crucial underlying trend in the Republican-backed proposals that’s attracting less attention than efforts to roll back voting rights: A transfer of power from the Secretary of State’s office and county boards of elections to lawmakers.Under , up for debate later today, lawmakers would have to approve emergency election rules within...WW…

It’s getting hard to track the onslaught of elections proposals that have surfaced in the Legislature. But Thursday brought the arrival of one of the most important — and most controversial — measures yet.Introduced by Republican Rep. Barry Fleming hours before a hastily-called House hearing, House Bill 531 would restrict absentee voting, limit the use of mobile voting units and ban counties from holding early voting on Sundays, often called “souls to the polls,” which is popular with Black votersUnlike some other measures pushed by back-bench legislators, this one has juice. Fleming is a...…It’s getting hard to track the onslaught of elections proposals that have surfaced in the Legislature. But Thursday brought the arrival of one of the most important — and most controversial — measures yet.Introduced by Republican Rep. Barry Fleming hours before a hastily-called House hearing, House Bill 531 would restrict absentee voting, limit the use of mobile voting units and ban counties from holding early voting on Sundays, often called “souls to the polls,” which is popular with Black votersUnlike some other measures pushed by back-bench legislators, this one has juice. Fleming is a...WW…

Four years ago today, a 29-year-old Jon Ossoff announced that he would run for the 6th District open House seat. After winning on election night, but missing the 50% mark, Ossoff later lost a nationally-watched and very expensive runoff to Republican Karen Handel.Fast forward to today, and Ossoff is back for another runoff that the whole country is watching. The Democrats have since flipped the 6th and 7th districts - and won the whole state by a whisker when Joe Biden beat President Donald Trump for the White House in 2020.We reached out to Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock to see how...…Four years ago today, a 29-year-old Jon Ossoff announced that he would run for the 6th District open House seat. After winning on election night, but missing the 50% mark, Ossoff later lost a nationally-watched and very expensive runoff to Republican Karen Handel.Fast forward to today, and Ossoff is back for another runoff that the whole country is watching. The Democrats have since flipped the 6th and 7th districts - and won the whole state by a whisker when Joe Biden beat President Donald Trump for the White House in 2020.We reached out to Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock to see how...WW…

The fundraising arm of a group led by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr called on supporters of President Donald Trump to march to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to “stop the steal” following a “Save America” rally that preceded the deadly riot in Washington.A spokeswoman for Carr said the attorney general “unequivocally had no knowledge or involvement” in the robocall and “is working diligently to determine how this situation occurred and ensure that it does not happen again.”The recorded call encouraged Trump supporters to go to the Capitol to demand that Congress block certification of...…The fundraising arm of a group led by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr called on supporters of President Donald Trump to march to the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to “stop the steal” following a “Save America” rally that preceded the deadly riot in Washington.A spokeswoman for Carr said the attorney general “unequivocally had no knowledge or involvement” in the robocall and “is working diligently to determine how this situation occurred and ensure that it does not happen again.”The recorded call encouraged Trump supporters to go to the Capitol to demand that Congress block certification of...WW…

Democrat Jon Ossoff had the stage to himself Sunday night, with the exception of an empty podium, as Sen. David Perdue away from the Atlanta Press Club debate. After introducing Ossoff, moderator Russ Spencer introduced Perdue, with the camera focused on the blank space above the lectern.When the question-and-answer portion of the debate came, Ossoff was allowed to ask the podium the question he would have asked Perdue, and then answer the question himself.“This is a strange situation,” Ossoff acknowledged, before asking the podium about Perdue’s finances and what Ossoff called Perdue’s...…Democrat Jon Ossoff had the stage to himself Sunday night, with the exception of an empty podium, as Sen. David Perdue away from the Atlanta Press Club debate. After introducing Ossoff, moderator Russ Spencer introduced Perdue, with the camera focused on the blank space above the lectern.When the question-and-answer portion of the debate came, Ossoff was allowed to ask the podium the question he would have asked Perdue, and then answer the question himself.“This is a strange situation,” Ossoff acknowledged, before asking the podium about Perdue’s finances and what Ossoff called Perdue’s...WW…

The campaign between U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler and the Rev. Raphael Warnock entered a new, more combative phase Thursday as Loeffler unleashed two new ads opposing the Democrat, who hit back by calling her alliance with Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene “shameful.”Warnock responded to Loeffler’s ads at a press conference that the Democrat originally called to discuss his health care platform. He also used the moment to level harsh words of his own against the senator.“Kelly Loeffler ... sits down for interviews with known white supremacists and accepts the endorsement of a candidate who...…The campaign between U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler and the Rev. Raphael Warnock entered a new, more combative phase Thursday as Loeffler unleashed two new ads opposing the Democrat, who hit back by calling her alliance with Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene “shameful.”Warnock responded to Loeffler’s ads at a press conference that the Democrat originally called to discuss his health care platform. He also used the moment to level harsh words of his own against the senator.“Kelly Loeffler ... sits down for interviews with known white supremacists and accepts the endorsement of a candidate who...WW…

In the hours after a gunman in Pittsburgh opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, the phone rang in Atlanta for Rabbi Peter Berg, the leader of The Temple, Atlanta’s oldest Jewish congregation.It was the Rev. Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church.“Raphael was the first to call,” Berg said. “(He said that) during this horrific moment of anti-Semitism in our country, he and the Ebenezer family are with us.”The pastor offering Berg comfort in 2018 is now running as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler in an increasingly ugly fight that could...…In the hours after a gunman in Pittsburgh opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, the phone rang in Atlanta for Rabbi Peter Berg, the leader of The Temple, Atlanta’s oldest Jewish congregation.It was the Rev. Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church.“Raphael was the first to call,” Berg said. “(He said that) during this horrific moment of anti-Semitism in our country, he and the Ebenezer family are with us.”The pastor offering Berg comfort in 2018 is now running as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler in an increasingly ugly fight that could...WW…

“Republicans in disarray.” That was the three-word response from Senate Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff late Monday to the extraordinary infighting that’s divided the Georgia GOP over President Donald Trump’s effort to taint Joe Biden’s victory.This was supposed to be the week that Republicans united behind U.S. Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue for a pair of Jan. 5 runoffs that could decide control of the Senate.Instead, the two senators leveled unfounded claims of a disastrous “embarrassment” of an election at fellow Republicans who oversaw last week’s vote - and called for the...…“Republicans in disarray.” That was the three-word response from Senate Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff late Monday to the extraordinary infighting that’s divided the Georgia GOP over President Donald Trump’s effort to taint Joe Biden’s victory.This was supposed to be the week that Republicans united behind U.S. Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue for a pair of Jan. 5 runoffs that could decide control of the Senate.Instead, the two senators leveled unfounded claims of a disastrous “embarrassment” of an election at fellow Republicans who oversaw last week’s vote - and called for the...WW…