Earlier this week, we told you of signs that, for the first time since the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, Republicans in the state Capitol were signaling interest in a customized version of the program that would bring more federal health care dollars into Georgia.
It seems that political recalibrations are being made elsewhere, too. From Mississippi Today:
Despite longtime public opposition to the Affordable Care Act, Gov. Phil Bryant has quietly been working in recent months to bring one of the law's central tenets, Medicaid expansion, to Mississippi, sources in the state's health care industry [say].
…Over the last month, Bryant and senior aides in his office have spoken to health care industry executives about the details of a limited form of Medicaid expansion, similar to the 2015 plan then-Gov. Mike Pence oversaw in Indiana, according to multiple sources who have directly spoken to either the governor or his staff.
A federal Texas judge last week struck down the entire health care law – the result of a lawsuit brought by 20 plaintiffs. The Mississippi governor is one of them. The ruling is certain to be appealed.
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The cause is noteworthy, but otherwise you knew this was coming: The Augusta Chronicle reports this morning that an analyst has told the state Public Service Commission that, due to a lack of skilled labor, the timetable for completion of two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle – already years behind schedule – is unrealistic. Georgia Power says it ain't so.
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Via Facebook, Secretary of State-elect Brad Raffensperger has announced that state Rep. Sam Teasley, R-Marietta, who was defeated in the Nov. 6 general election, will serve as his director of external affairs, directing "governmental relations and the field offices around the state." Teasley was chairman of the Raffensperger campaign.
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Gov.-elect Brian Kemp, a rabid Bulldog fan, has decided to hold his Jan. 14 inauguration ceremony on the Georgia Tech campus. Details can be found here.
In the meantime, a suggestion for Kemp’s speechwriter: We know Georgia’s next governor will want to emphasize the things he intends to do for “hardworking Georgians.”
But could you please insert a word or two on behalf of the Georgian who is gainfully employed but has been coasting a bit since his wife left him, his dog died, and his boss put him in that program for “plateaued” employees?
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This is one way to keep the campaign contributions flowing: Gov.-elect Brian Kemp's campaign has sent emails to supporters promoting T-shirts, Christmas ornaments and tumblers adorned with his logo as holiday presents. From the note sent in first lady-elect Marty Kemp's name:
These special Kemp holiday gifts are a great way to show you're standing with Brian and support his Georgians First Agenda.
They will also make GREAT unique gifts for your family members and friends who helped propel Brian to victory on Election Day.
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Cha-ching. Atlanta attorney and FBI director Christopher Wray reported in recently released financial disclosures that he received more than $14 million from the King & Spalding law firm for work advising clients that included Wells Fargo, Johnson & Johnson and Chevron. The Daily Report has the details.
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In case you needed further evidence that national Democrats plan to target the Atlanta suburbs in 2020, behold the subject line of the press release that hit our inbox last night from the DCCC: "Rep. Woodall Votes to Force a Trump Shutdown of the Government."
Woodall, R-Lawrenceville, only narrowly escaped being ousted last month, when he defeated Democratic newcomer Carolyn Bourdeaux by razor-thin 433-vote margin.
(The DCCC, by the way, is referring to Woodall's support for a stopgap spending bill Thursday that included money for the president's border wall.)
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Meanwhile, one of Woodall's U.S. House colleagues agitating for a showdown with Democrats over wall funding is Barry Loudermilk. The Cassville Republican was at the White House on Thursday with House GOP leaders and the heads of the Freedom Caucus, where he said he told Trump that the battle was worth fighting.
Loudermilk said his office has been “inundated” with calls from constituents urging Republicans to fight for the border funding before Democrats take over the House on Jan. 3.
"Everybody around here is acting like this is our last day," he said. "To the American people, we still have 14 days and they want us to do everything we can til the last minute."
Read more about the fight and how it's linked to the delegation's push for Hurricane Michael funding here.
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