In the summer of 2014, a surge of unaccompanied minors at the Mexican border became a humanitarian crisis and a political maelstrom that shook up the midterms.
Just in time for 2016, the issue is resurfacing, the Washington Post reports:
During the last border kids surge, more than 1,600 ended up in Georgia.
Such a surge would only inflame the immigration fight in the presidential race. On the premium site today, we take a look at the Ted Cruz-Marco Rubio feud, which touches on this issue:
Rubio, meanwhile, claimed the pair are not as far apart on immigration as Cruz's rhetoric suggests. He pointed to amendments Cruz offered to the 2013 immigration bill that would have increased legal immigration, and still allow legalization but not citizenship for those here illegally.
"I have never supported legalization, and I do not intend to support legalization," Cruz replied on stage.
Cruz had a tough interview with Fox News' Bret Baier on Wednesday on the subject, contrasting his 2013 statements with what he is saying now:
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Speaking of Cruz: Ahead of a Georgia visit this week, the Republican presidential candidate opened a Valdosta office on Wednesday with food, drinks and local officials.
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Talk about strange bedfellows. Gay rights groups are finding an unusual compatriot in the Gold Dome for the fight to allow alcohol sales earlier on Sundays.
State Rep. Brett Harrell, a Republican from Snellville, is again pushing his House Bill 535, which would allow municipalities across Georgia to start serving alcohol on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. – two hours earlier than the current 12:30 p.m.
Why are they unlikely allies? Harrell is among the group of Republicans who backed the "religious freedom" legislation that's loathed by gay rights organizations - and likely to be revived in January.
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CNN's Tuesday night debate in Las Vegas brought in 18 million viewers, making it the third most-watched debate of the year. Ratings had been declining for clashes on the more obscure Fox Business and CNBC.
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WSB-Radio talker Erick Erickson -- as we first reported way back in the summer -- is leaving the conservative blog RedState that he helmed for a decade. Erickson's last post went up early this morning. A taste:
"I've learned that being kind is not an obligation, but a necessity of life. I've learned that there are far too many who show no grace and people on the internet are in a race to always remind you of your sins. I've learned that social media can draw out the worst in all of us, myself definitely included, anonymity breeds contemptibility, and comment sections should always be ignored. I've learned the Oxford comma is a defining characteristic of a civilized society, that I suck at proofreading, and sometimes there is no reward in doing the right thing, but you should always still do it as a reward in itself because tomorrow you will see yourself in the mirror even if no one else does."
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