“Senator! Senator!” chanted supporters of Jaha Howard late Tuesday evening after local media declared him the winner of the Georgia Senate District 35 special election runoff matchup. Howard, a dentist and former Cobb County School Board member, defeated veteran lawmaker Roger Bruce by just 236 votes, according to unofficial results listed on the secretary of […]
State Politics
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Public Services, State Politics
Georgia Power’s $16 Billion Data Center Push Could Mean Higher Costs for Residents
A Georgia Power proposal that would allow one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in state history crossed a major regulatory hurdle on Wednesday. The Public Service Commission’s Public Interest Advocacy Staff division approved a Georgia Power stipulation agreement that would greenlight construction of enough new power plant facilities to generate an additional 10,000 megawatts […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Palestinian American Pitches Black Voters Progressive Plan in Georgia Governor’s Race
With her recently announced run for governor, state Rep. Ruwa Romman, D-Duluth, hopes to start a progressive movement in Georgia that centers on economic issues important to Black voters. Raising the state’s minimum wage, limiting corporate home buying to make rent and homeownership more affordable, and expanding Medicaid coverage to spur the reopening of rural […]
Posted inEducation, School Boards, State Politics
Why This GOP School Voucher Supporter is Running For State Superintendent
It’s been more than two years since a policy fight over a bill that created Georgia’s existing school voucher program severely damaged Mesha Mainor’s working relationship with state Democratic Party leaders, who vehemently oppose voucher programs, believing they pull too much money out of revenue-starved public schools. Now the former Democratic state House member, who joined the Republican Party […]
Posted inState Politics, Voting
Mass Registration Cancellation Puts Black Georgians’ Voting Rights at Risk
Alfreda Monroe hasn’t been inspired to vote for anyone since 2008, when Barack Obama ran for president the first time. But she doesn’t think choosing not to vote justifies having her voter registration canceled. The retired grandmother of six, who lives with her husband in Hinesville, was one of an estimated 478,000 inactive voters due […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
Thurmond Talks Black Voter Concerns Amid ‘Moment of Political Crisis’
Gubernatorial candidate Michael Thurmond isn’t a fan of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act or its anticipated cuts next year to social safety net programs many Black Georgians rely on to pay bills. The 72-year-old former DeKalb County CEO spoke with Capital B Atlanta on Monday after officially launching his bid last week […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
Michael Thurmond Launches Campaign for Governor With Catchy ‘Boots On Ground’ Ad
Former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond officially launched his bid to be Georgia’s next governor on Wednesday with an attention-grabbing campaign ad that appears to take a shot at President Donald Trump. Footage of Thurmond speaking at a “No Kings” protest in Athens in June is featured in the “Boots on Georgia Ground” ad, which […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
Black Voters Deliver PSC Win to Hubbard, Who Promises Not to Raise Power Bills
Public Service Commission District 3 candidate Peter Hubbard cruised to victory Tuesday night over fellow Democratic primary contender Keisha Sean Waites. In a runoff race marked by low voter turnout, the outcome could impact how much many Georgians pay for electricity in the future. Hubbard unofficially received a whopping 58.18% of votes cast in the […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
Low Turnout for High Stakes PSC Election Results in Key Runoff
A pivotal primary election marked by low voter turnout will be decided next month by a runoff race between two leading Democratic Party contenders. The Georgia Public Service Commission is a five-member elected body that determines rate prices for utility companies, including Georgia Power, the state’s largest electricity provider. Only about 205,000 Georgians out of […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
Progressive Candidate Bucks Establishment in Run For Governor
Launching a gubernatorial campaign with a conversation about the need for reparations for descendants of the enslaved isn’t something you see every day— especially in Georgia. But state Rep. Derrick Jackson, D-Tyrone, who officially announced his bid for governor last week, says he wants to be a voice for Black voters looking for more aggressive […]