A.M. ATL: Replacing Biden on Georgia’s ballot
Morning, y’all! Expect temperatures in the mid-80s and a pretty good chance of thunderstorms — today and pretty much every day this week.
News-wise, we’ve got Tyler Perry coming to the rescue of a scam victim, two big-name Braves with significant injuries and potentially tainted deli meat.
- Meanwhile, at Hartsfield: Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights again Sunday as the fallout from last week’s tech outage continues. Things don’t look great today, either. Stay tuned to AJC.com for the latest.
Now. On to a political story you maaay have heard about — and what it means in Georgia.
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HARRIS RISING?
You did it, Joe.
President Biden announced Sunday he won’t seek reelection after all, ending weeks of speculation that started with a poor debate performance in little old Atlanta. He immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his spot on November’s ballots.
- Click here to check out full AJC coverage. And shoot an email to tellus@ajc.com with any questions or comments about what’s next.
But first I’ll walk you through some highlights — including new polling.
LEADERS REACT: Democratic leaders from the Clintons to Keisha Lance Bottoms quickly offered their support for Harris, too.
The AJC caught Sen. Raphael Warnock on video(!) as the vice president called to ask for his endorsement. He said he’s “all in.”
Republicans? Not so much.
On social media, former President Donald Trump repeated lies about the 2020 election and dubbed Harris “just as much of joke as Biden is.” Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said Democrats “succeeded in subverting the will of their voters.”
GEORGIA TIES: Harris, 59, enjoys some support in Georgia, a key battleground state. She counts many of the state’s most prominent Democrats as allies and has visited the state five times in 2024 alone.
Her sorors from Alpha Kappa Alpha are already leaping into action.
- But a new AJC poll (conducted last week, before Biden dropped out) put Harris at a 51%-46% disadvantage in a hypothetical matchup against Trump.
WHAT’S NEXT: Assuming Democrats continue rallying around Harris, she would receive a formal nomination at the Democratic National Convention, which starts Aug. 19 in Chicago.
From there, Harris and whoever her running mate may be must get on the ballot. Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson suggest legal battles will arise from the effort — but it should be relatively easy in Georgia.
- State law allows political parties to change their candidate until ballots are created, which is slated for mid-September.
TUNE IN: Reporter Mark Niesse joins the “Politically Georgia” show today to break it all down. Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, a Democrat, stops by as well.
Listen from 10-11 a.m. at AJC.com or WABE 90.1FM. And, as always, stay tuned for updates.
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THE WEEK AHEAD
⚾️ Monday: The Braves start a home series against the Reds with a pregame parade kicking off the countdown to next season’s MLB All-Star game at Truist Park. Also: Georgia Tech football answers questions at ACC Media Days in Charlotte.
📝 Tuesday: County commissioners in Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett hold meetings.
🏛️ Wednesday: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to address Congress.
🏈 Thursday: After reporting to Flowery Branch on Wednesday, the Falcons start preseason training camp practices.
🏅 Friday: The Paris Olympics officially begin with the opening ceremony (1:30 p.m. Eastern on NBC). More than 60 athletes with Georgia ties are ready to compete. Also: New Kids on the Block stops by Ameris Bank Amphitheatre.
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HAPPY TEARS
Earlier this month, we introduced you to Dorothy and George Williams, a southwest Atlanta couple who fell victim to a scam. A contractor they hired for some repairs allegedly took their money, gutted their home and left.
- Now the happy update: Media mogul Tyler Perry stepped in to help cover the costs of getting the home back in working order. “I’m definitely going to make sure they are OK,” he told the AJC.
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MINDING OUR BUSINESS
» As many office buildings struggle to lease space, some landlords are taking a new approach to weathering the storm: selling off to the tenants they do have.
» Most of the workers Hyundai has hired for its massive electric vehicle plant in Savannah already live in the area. But with thousands more jobs to fill, the local labor supply will be tested.
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CARING FOR KIDS
More than half of Georgia’s rural counties lack a pediatrician. But a set of alliances between Atlanta hospitals and rural clinicians is trying to close the gap.
- “We want to know kids across the state can get care,” one executive from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta told the AJC. “A ZIP code shouldn’t define the care they receive.”
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CAUTION AT THE COUNTER
There’s no recall in place. But U.S. health officials are warning pregnant, elderly and immunocompromised people to avoid eating sliced deli meat amid a Listeria outbreak that has killed two people and hospitalized dozens more.
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INJURY BUG BITES
The Braves dropped Sunday’s series finale against the Cardinals 6-2. Even more depressingly:
- Second baseman Ozzie Albies fractured his left wrist on the eighth-inning play pictured above. He expects to miss two months.
- Ace pitcher Max Fried, meanwhile, joined the 15-day injured list with a forearm issue. An MRI revealed nerve irritation but no structural damage.
» Quick hits: Atlanta United back above playoff line; Dream’s Allisha Gray wins All-Star contests
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FOOD HALL FRENZY
We love a good food hall around these parts. And the city’s various Politan Row properties have some stall-related announcements.
- Midtown’s Colony Square is getting soul food and Indian; Dunwoody’s Ashford Lane is getting jerk chicken and tacos; and Peachtree Corners’ forthcoming facility includes Thai and Mediterranean.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
» Atlanta one of six finalists in bid to host Sundance Film Festival
» Fani Willis’ marquee cases against Trump, Young Thug in chaos
» 3 Atlanta police alums left for key roles elsewhere. Now, they’re out
» Commission to study Medicaid options as uninsured Georgians cope
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ON THIS DATE
July 22, 1969
Busy news day, history edition.
While Neil Armstrong & Co. headed back to Earth after their momentous moon landing, U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy attended the funeral of a young campaign worker who died when he drove his car off a Massachusetts bridge.
In Atlanta, funeral preparations began for A.D. King, the brother of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who drowned in a swimming pool.
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
AJC photographer Miguel Martinez captured a couple who got engaged at the Atlanta Open. The professional tennis tournament at Atlantic Station continues today with an exhibition match featuring otherwise-retired star Andy Roddick.
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ONE MORE THING
Veteran rapper JT Money is back with a new album — and appreciation for his second home. “Atlanta lets us be us,” he told the AJC. “The city always gave me love, so I wanted to give it some love back.”
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Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
Tyler Estep hosts the AJC Win Column, Atlanta's new weekly destination for all things sports. He also shepherds the Sports Daily and Braves Report newsletters to your inbox.
