We'll let you debate what it means, but according to the AJC's latest poll of Georgia voters, the exiting President Barack Obama and members of the just-convened state Legislature share something very important.
Both received 50 percent approval ratings. (Gov. Nathan Deal earned a 52 percent approval rating.)
Naturally, the General Assembly and Obama share different cheerleaders. State lawmakers were graded highly by Republican (69 percent) and white (58 percent) voters.
Obama scored best among Democrats (92 percent) and African-Americans (93 percent.)
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The AJC poll also found that 44 percent of respondents oppose lawmakers again trying to pass a "religious liberty" bill. Only 40 percent support it.
But those aren’t the numbers that the majority of state lawmakers will be looking at. These are: 54 percent of Republicans support a renewed fight over what they see as government infringement on religious beliefs – but 54 percent of independents (who often vote GOP) oppose it.
Which helps explain why state Sen. Greg Kirk, R-Americus, who carried the "religious liberty" ball in 2016, says he intends to give the issue a pass this session. Said Kirk, in an interview with 11Alive's Doug Richards:
"We've got a new leadership at the federal level, so let's see what happens on the federal level."
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That same GOP/independent split exists over legislation to allow the carrying of concealed weaponry on public university campuses in Georgia. Sixty-five percent of Republicans back campus carry, but 55 percent of independents oppose it.
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But two of the most interesting divisions displayed in the AJC poll are within the Republican camp itself – on cultural issues that only a few years ago were untouchable.
On the issue of casino gambling, GOB voters are split 47 to 48 percent. (The poll’s margin of error is four percentage points, so that’s a statistical tie.)
That’s not dissimilar to 47/52 percent split (opposed, support) among Republicans for the Mimosa Mandate – legislation to allow brunch-focused restaurants to serve alcohol before noon on Sunday.
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More AJC poll coverage:
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Just in time for the start of the legislative session, Grover Norquist's anti-tax group is gearing up a for a fight against the "bed tax" plan that would leave a $600 million hole in the state budget if it fails. Over at STAT, Max Blau has more:
It would take a rank-and-file revolt
. Gov. Nathan Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, and House Speaker David Ralston
to be among the first tackled by the Legislature.
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The special election to fill a northwest Georgia Senate seat will be held Tuesday. But the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports the bulk of the money going to the Republican contender is a "mystery."
Chuck Payne said he has received about $90,000 but the newspaper's analysis found he had accounted for less than a third of it in campaign disclosures. From the Times Free Press:
Their explanation? Byzantine state campaign laws, which allow some contributions to be reported at the last minute. In this case, Payne's campaign left out most of the money it raised in December from its filings.
Payne, a former Whitfield County GOP chair, squares off against Debby Peppers, an independent backed by local Democrats, in the runoff to fill Republican Charlie Bethel's seat.
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Kaiser Health News reports about U.S. Rep. Tom Price, Donald Trump's pick for health and human services secretary, and his efforts to secure federal money for his biggest campaign donors. Their latest:
In other cases, he has gone to bat for companies whose executives and employees have generously contributed to his campaigns and political action committees.
The report comes as watchdogs worry that the Senate is moving too quickly to confirm Trump's Cabinet nominees, given that Congress' independent ethics board hasn't received the financial disclosures of some picks.
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Republican National Committeman Randy Evans writes in the Atlanta Business Chronicle that Democrats might want to take a hint from outgoing RNC chair Reince Priebus on their next party leader. From the piece:
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