Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., arrives at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. Credit: J. Scott Applewhite, AP
The Panel:
Emma Hurt — Reporter, Axios Atlanta
Greg Bluestein — Politics reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Leroy Chapman — Managing editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Riley Bunch — Public policy reporter, Georgia Public Broadcasting
The Breakdown:
1. Gov. Brian Kemp endorses "constitutional carry" in Georgia ahead of the legislative session.
- "Constitutional carry" legislation allows residents to carry an open or concealed handgun in public without a license.
- Kemp endorsed the issue during his 2018 campaign for governor, but "constitutional carry" legislation has so far failed to gain traction in the General Assembly.
- The 2022 General Assembly session, which begins next week, is an opportunity for Kemp to follow up on similar legislation during an intense Republican primary versus challenger David Perdue.
.@GovKemp officially announces he'll push constitutional carry legislation this session, which starts next week. #gapol https://t.co/BNvPz47aVG
— Riley Bunch (@ribunchreports) January 5, 2022
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GPB's Riley Bunch said the GOP primary and other races in the state could influence lawmakers this session.
2. Georgia reports a record number of COVID cases in the New Year.
- After being overwhelmed with data from the holiday weekend, the Georgia Department of Health reported more than 60,000 cases during the four-day stretch.
- The omicron variant is the main cause of this surge. The variant is now responsible for 95% of new COVID cases — just a month after since being marked as a variant of concern by The World Health Organization.
3. Warnock continues to push for voting rights, as the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection looms.
- Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock blasted state GOP lawmakers for additional voting changes proposed ahead of Georgia’s legislative session this year, including a bill that would eliminate ballot drop boxes altogether.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Leroy Chapman reflected on his experience on Jan. 6 as he managed reporters, including Washington correspondents, inside the U.S. Capitol during the riot.
4. Atlanta welcomes new leadership with the inauguration of Mayor Andre Dickens
- Dickens was sworn in as Atlanta's 61st mayor on Monday.
- He outlined several initiatives including addressing crime and creating affordable housing.
Tomorrow on Political Rewind: Political Rewind's 9 a.m. broadcast will be preempted by NPR's special coverage of the anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection. We will be live on the air at 2 p.m. to talk about how the attacks on the U.S. Capitol changed the course of American history. Our panel is set to include longtime political commentator Jim Galloway, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution's Editor Kevin Riley, and Republican political consultant Leo Smith.
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