Why today’s primary is a high-stakes test for Georgia Democrats

For the first time in five years, members of the Public Service Commission are on the ballot with two races before the voters today. Early voter turnout was abysmally low. But that doesn’t mean the stakes are low.

Just ask the Fulton County Democratic Committee. An internal memo we obtained calls the race “an immediate test of Democratic infrastructure” as they work to chip away at GOP control of the five-member commission that regulates Georgia’s investor-owned utilities.

“With deep implications for energy affordability, broadband access, and climate justice, this race demands county-level attention that is equal to any Senate or gubernatorial race,” read the party’s memo, which spells out plans to target 180,000 Fulton voters who skipped last year’s election.

Both races are statewide votes. One features GOP Commissioner Tim Echols against primary challenger Lee Muns. The winner faces Democrat Alicia Johnson in November.

The other race is between three Democrats — former state Rep. Keisha Waites, former utility executive Robert Jones and clean energy advocate Peter Hubbard — vying to take on GOP incumbent Fitz Johnson in November.

A fourth candidate, Daniel Blackman, was disqualified from the ballot after the secretary of state and a judge ruled he did not live in the district long enough to be eligible. But Blackman could still play a big role in who wins.

The final ruling came near the end of the early voting period after a number of people had already voted for him. Now, those votes won’t count.

We won’t know exactly how many people voted for Blackman because the state won’t tally those ballots. But we will have a clue. Ballots marked for Blackman will be tallied as if voters left the race blank. That’s called an “undervote,” and state officials do announce those totals.

“We suspect the bulk of those undervotes will be votes for Blackman,” said Mike Hassinger, spokesman for the Secretary of State’s office.

It’s likely to be significant. Turnout for today’s primary is already expected to be miniscule. Eliminating votes for Blackman will shrink the number of voters even more.

Plus, Blackman isn’t some fringe candidate. He’s a former regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency who came within one percentage point of winning a seat on the PSC in 2020.

Things to know

Good morning! It’s primary day in Georgia. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Here’s what you need to know:

Building a bench

Credit: Jeff Amy/AP

Credit: Jeff Amy/AP

The Democratic Party of Georgia is launching a sweeping effort to recruit hundreds of candidates for local offices, part of a national push to ensure Republicans aren’t unchallenged in critical down-ballot races.

It’s part of the national Contest Every Race initiative and targets more than 700 local seats, including mayoral posts, town council races and city commissions ahead of the Aug. 22 filing deadline.

While many of these races are nonpartisan, Democrats are trying to build their bench — and put the pressure on conservative elected officials. Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Charlie Bailey said the aim is to build “power from the ground up.”

“Every pothole fixed, every park funded, every school supported starts with decisions made at the local level,” he said. “That’s why we’re helping everyday folks step up to run — to make sure every community has the representation it deserves.”

The effort reflects a strategy to prepare for the 2026 midterms by bolstering the party’s get-out-the-vote machinery and building momentum now.

“There are no off years anymore,” said Zoë Stein, executive director of Contest Every Race. “We’re proud to help recruit candidates ready to take on MAGA extremism and bring common-sense leadership to their communities.”

Greene challengers

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Challengers are lining up to face U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District.

At least five candidates, three Republicans and two Democrats, have either announced or filed to run against the Rome Republican in 2026.

They include Shawn Harris, the retired brigadier general and Polk County farmer who was also the Democratic nominee against Greene in 2024.

“It’s time to restore sanity to Congress and send America’s Worst Congressperson packing,” Harris wrote in a fundraising email to potential supporters over the weekend.

Harris is hoping he’ll have more luck against Greene without President Donald Trump on the ballot this time around. He lost to Greene 64% to 36% in 2024.

The other candidates to file paperwork with the Federal Election Commission for the race so far are Republicans Jeff Criswell, Uloma Ekpete and Star Black. Democrat Clarence Blalock has also filed to run.

It’s a girl!

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

In February, state Rep. Lehman Franklin, R-Statesboro, stood on the House floor to introduce his wife and unborn child as he urged colleagues to vote for his bill to protect in vitro fertilization. On Sunday, he spent the day holding his baby daughter on his first Father’s Day as a dad.

Woodley Wren Franklin was born May 27 to Franklin and his wife, Lorie. The couple conceived through IVF after nearly a decade of trying to start a family. Their story inspired a new state law that Gov. Brian Kemp signed last month to make sure courts couldn’t interpret Georgia’s abortion restrictions to ban the procedure.

The legislative process resulted not only in new protections for IVF, but also a scrapbook of sorts for Lorie Franklin’s pregnancy. She said she plans to put together a book of her time at the Capitol so her daughter can know “how important she was for Georgia.”

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

“I can’t wait to show her the video of me arguing the bill on the floor,” Lehman Franklin said.

The Franklins are already learning to juggle work life balance. Lehman Franklin called in to a meeting of the House Retirement Committee on Monday to talk about his bill to boost the retirement benefits for lawmakers who retired prior to 2022. He couldn’t be there in person because his daughter had a doctor’s appointment.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better situation,” Franklin said of carrying the bill during his wife’s pregnancy. “Us having a child and going through it and talking to everybody else and hearing their stories, it was just the coolest.”

Listen up

Credit: George Walker IV/AP

Credit: George Walker IV/AP

Today on “Politically Georgia,” we discuss the security concerns among Georgia leaders after shootings in Minnesota killed one state lawmaker and her husband, and left another lawmaker and his wife injured. Then, Chuck Williams of WRBL News 3 talks about the firing of former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley, husband of state House Democratic Leader Carolyn Hugley.

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.

You can listen and subscribe to the show for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Showtime in the Senate

Credit: Jose Luis Magana/AP

Credit: Jose Luis Magana/AP

We now know what changes Senate Republicans want to make to President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” budget bill. Democrats still aren’t happy about it.

The Senate bill would exempt some parents of young children from a Medicaid work requirement. But it would restrict the use of provider taxes, slashing a key source of funding for state Medicaid programs.

Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock said he was “outraged” by the changes, saying the cuts to Medicaid are in part to offset lower taxes for wealthy and middle-income Americans.

“If this budget weren’t already bad enough, it just got worse,” the Atlanta Democrat wrote on X.

The Senate bill also angered some Republicans who wanted to greatly increase how much of their state and local taxes people can deduct from how much they owe the federal government. The proposal would maintain a $10,000 cap on the deduction, but notes it is “the subject of continuing negotiations.”

The bill also limits Trump’s proposals to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime, capping those deductions at a maximum of $25,000.

There could be amendments and changes before the bill makes it to the floor for a final vote. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., wants to pass the bill back to the House by the end of the month.

Today in Washington

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Ossoff’s return

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is back in Washington for the first time since the birth of his second daughter two weeks ago.

Ossoff will attend a hearing today of the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, where he is the panel’s top-ranking Democrat. During the meeting, he plans to question military leaders about the status of projects on bases across Georgia.

Ossoff still considers himself on paternity leave and is not back to his normal travel schedule. The hearing today represents a brief pause for what he deemed a can’t-miss meeting.

Shoutouts

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

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Before you go

Credit: Rodney Ho/AJC

Credit: Rodney Ho/AJC

Georgia Public Broadcasting is pushing back against potential federal funding cuts, urging listeners to contact their representatives to support public media.

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