President Donald Trump stumps for Burt Jones in telephone town hall

Today’s newsletter highlights:

Jon Burns appoints lawmakers to 10 study committees that could drive legislation for next year’s session.
Georgia Supreme Court candidates seek support from voters outraged by the state’s 2019 anti-abortion law.
Some Morehouse medical students don’t want Rick McCormick as their graduation speaker.

Unequivocal backing

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

President Donald Trump is making it plain: Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is his candidate for governor.

With Jones deadlocked in the latest AJC poll against billionaire Rick Jackson, the president reinforced his endorsement Wednesday night at a telephone town hall that doubled as a warning to Republican voters not to be confused by any rival’s pro-Trump branding.

Trump called Jones a “great man,” a “great lieutenant governor,” a “warrior for our movement” and even “a Georgia football legend.”

He did not mention Jackson, who has vowed to be “Trump’s favorite governor” and whose camp has treated Trump’s ambivalence as a small victory.

But Trump left little room for ambiguity.

“Vote for Burt Jones. He’s just an incredible guy who has my complete and total endorsement in the race,” he said. “There’s a lot of confusion. Everyone’s saying I endorsed them. I didn’t. I endorsed a man named Burt Jones.”

Democrats are betting the tight GOP embrace of Trump will come back to haunt whoever wins the nod.

“Burt Jones has long been Trump’s No. 1 lapdog in Georgia,” Democratic Party of Georgia aide Jake Strickland said. “And tonight’s tele-rally just goes to show that he’s running for Donald Trump — not the people of Georgia.”

Things to know

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Good morning! Here are three things to know for today:

A federal judge denied Fulton County’s request to make the FBI return the 2020 ballots the agency seized back in January, the AJC’s Caleb Groves reports.
More Georgia Republicans are asking Gov. Brian Kemp to redraw the state’s political maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, Greg Bluestein reports.
An AJC poll shows Georgia’s primary voters are deeply split over the war in Iran, Tia Mitchell reports.

Study time

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

We know how Georgia House lawmakers will spend their summer. Speaker Jon Burns on Wednesday appointed lawmakers to 10 study committees.

Work from these committees often result in legislation that forms the basis of next year’s session. Here’s a look at some of them:

Community Health and Healthcare Oversight. Georgia’s rural hospitals are struggling, in part because of the Trump administration’s budget cuts. This committee’s stated goal is to “improve access” and “strengthen patent protections.” Chair: Rep. Mark Newton, R-Augusta.
Local government taxation, funding and budgeting. Burns failed to eliminate homestead property taxes this year, in part because of concerns from local governments. This committee’s goal is to evaluate the state’s local funding mechanisms to “ensure fairness” and “increase fiscal accountability.” Chair: Rep. Chas Cannon, R-Moultrie.
Youth exposure to Kratom and retail available substances. Kemp signed a law in 2024 aiming to regulate kratom, an herbal supplement often marketed as a pain reliever. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says it can be addictive. This committee will study the impact on children. Chair: Rep. Rick Townsend, R-Brunswick.
Education performance metrics and workforce stability. Teachers grade students. But how do we grade the teachers? This committee will find out. Chair: Rep. Bethany Ballard, R-Warner Robins.
Online platforms on Georgia youth. This has been a popular topic of study with lawmakers in recent years. A similar committee last year recommended banning cellphones in high schools, which the Legislature did this year. Chair: Rep. Rob Clifton, R-Evans.

Judicial races

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Democrats are hoping the U.S. Supreme Court’s weakening of the Voting Rights Act and the battle over abortion pill mifepristone will drive attention to the often overlooked Georgia Supreme Court races.

Two left-leaning attorneys, former state Sen. Jen Jordan and Miracle Rankin, are challenging Justices Charlie Bethel and Sarah Warren, who were both first appointed by former Republican Gov. Nathan Deal and are backed by Kemp.

While the race is nonpartisan, Jordan and Rankin are eyeing support from voters outraged over the 2019 anti-abortion law. On Wednesday, a coalition of advocates and medical professionals urged voters to elect judges who will uphold reproductive rights.

“Right now, Georgians are watching politicians and judges work hand in hand to strip away our fundamental rights in real time,” said Alicia Stallworth, with Reproductive Freedom for All.

“We already know exactly what happens when extremist judges get their way,” she added and pointed to the state Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the abortion ban in 2023.

Unlike other partisan races, the judicial contests will be decided by the May 19 primary. That gives Democrats only a short window to explain the need to have candidates elected who could block any Republican-led redistricting efforts.

“The same extremists trying to make it harder for Georgians to vote are the same ones backing judges who are taking away our freedoms piece by piece,” Stallworth said.

Listen up

Credit: AP

Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast we discuss the fallout from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision weakening the Voting Rights Act.

You can listen and subscribe to “Politically Georgia” for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Have a question or comment for the show? Email us at politicallygeorgia@ajc.com or give us a call at 770-810-5297 and you could be featured on a future episode.

Muting McCormick?

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Students at the Morehouse School of Medicine are protesting their graduation speaker, U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick.

McCormick is a white Republican. But he’s also a graduate of the historically Black medical school. The students say McCormick’s beliefs are counter to the school’s mission, pointing to his votes to restrict gender-affirming care, limit immigration in the U.S. and to cap loans that many low-income students have relied on to pay or their education. They’re asking the school to pick another speaker ahead of the May 16 ceremony.

So far, the school is standing behind McCormick, according to the AJC’s Jason Armesto and Cassidy Alexander. School officials point out McCormick has spoken at the institution before, noting that he is a former student body president “whose career in medicine and public service reflects the leadership MSM produces.”

Today in Washington

Trump will meet at the White House with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The House and Senate are out this week.

Shoutouts

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Before you go

CNN founder and media pioneer Ted Turner died Wednesday at the age of 87 after a period of declining health. Everyone has a Ted Turner story, the AJC’s Savannah Sicurella and Rodney Ho write. And if they’re lucky, multiple.

That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider information to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.

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