Will Donald Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ be a 2026 turning point?

Georgia may no longer host the South’s most dramatic U.S. Senate contest. And President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” budget and spending package might be even more of a defining issue in the 2026 elections than expected.

Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis’ abrupt retirement announcement a day after Trump called for his ouster gives Democrats a fresh pickup opportunity in North Carolina. And it sharpens the focus on Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s quest for another term in neighboring Georgia.

Tillis has warned Republicans that the GOP-backed domestic policy plan, which includes sweeping cuts to Medicaid, will “betray the promise Donald Trump made.” Tillis was one of two Republicans who voted Saturday against bringing the bill, and Trump responded by threatening to back a primary challenger.

Georgia Republicans aren’t blinking. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is preparing a bid for governor, called on Republicans to deliver on the measure. “No bill is perfect,” he said, “but failure is not an option.”

Democrats are betting the measure will be an albatross to the GOP in 2026.

“This administration is very focused on flooding the zone,” said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia. “So people don’t always know what to focus on. But the more people hear about this bill, the more unpopular it becomes.”

Things to know

Good morning! We are eight days from the mandatory start of early voting in the Georgia Public Service Commission Democratic primary runoff. County election boards are permitted to start earlier ahead of the July 15 election date, but early voting must end by July 11.

Here are three other things to know today:

Senate vote nears

Credit: Rod Lamkey Jr./AP

Credit: Rod Lamkey Jr./AP

U.S. Senate Democrats used delaying tactics to hobble the “big, beautiful” bill over the weekend, such as requiring the clerk to spend 16 hours reading the entire 940-page measure.

But so far the Senate is on track to take a final vote by Tuesday. House members have been advised that they might be called to Washington to take up the Senate version as soon as Wednesday morning.

Some details are still up in the air. Some language is still being finalized and the Senate this morning is to begin voting on a series of amendments that will lead to a vote on final passage.

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat, delivered a passionate 20-minute floor speech late Sunday night. He described the upcoming vote on the bill as a moral decision on whether to benefit the rich by voting for the package or defend services and resources for the poor by voting it down.

“I submit that the character of the country is on the line in a real sense,” he said. “The question tonight is, who are we? Not, ‘Who do we tell ourselves we are?’ But who are we really?”

A procedural vote to allow the bill to advance passed narrowly Saturday with all but two Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed. The GOP nays were cast by Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who argues that bill balloons the deficit, and Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who is critical of cuts to Medicaid and clean energy programs.

Diving deeper

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

A new survey by Cygnal — the go-to polling firm of Gov. Brian Kemp and other key Republicans — explains why Insurance Commissioner John King is likely to flood the airwaves with his backstory as his Senate campaign against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff heats up.

In head-to-head matchups with Ossoff, King polls roughly even with U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter and former football coach Derek Dooley among likely GOP voters. But King’s profile soared in a “blind bio” test where candidates were described only by their credentials.

Those polled were particularly drawn to the profile of a “retired two-star major general and former police chief who was shot in the line of duty.” The likely voters also responded to King being described as a President Donald Trump ally. Carter and Dooley were also referred to in glowing terms as Trump loyalists.

Playing the market

Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

In the days after President Donald Trump announced plans to drastically increase tariffs on goods from dozens of foreign nations, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s stock trading drew scrutiny.

But the Rome Republican wasn’t the only member of Georgia’s congressional delegation playing the financial markets ahead of a volatile period. Fellow Republican House members Rick Allen of Augusta, Buddy Carter of St. Simons Island and Mike Collins of Jackson also reported activity, according to a review of congressional financial records by the AJC’s Phoebe Quinton.

The transactions reported by Allen and Carter in 2025 were purchases of Treasury bills and government securities, which are widely considered the safest types of investments.

Carter purchased between $1 and $5 million in Treasury bills in the weeks after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff policy changes. Earlier in February, he also bought between $500,000 and $1 million in Treasury bills. These are the only two transactions he has reported this year.

Congressional rules require members to report financial transactions in ranges, including those made by a spouse or dependent child. They have up to 30 days after they find out about a purchase, sale or exchange to disclose it publicly or 45 days after the transaction, whichever comes first.

Allen and his wife, Robin, both reported trading, but Rick Allen himself focused solely on buying and selling bonds. Since January, he has reported buying between $201,000 and $515,000 and selling between $30,000 and $100,000 in Treasury bills and notes.

Carter, Allen and Greene, whose trading portfolios are among the most active among all members of Congress, said independent financial advisers make decisions on their behalf without their input.

Collins is different from the rest, trading solely in cryptocurrency. He said he learned the ropes from his son and makes purchases and sales using an app as a hobby.

The other members of Georgia’s delegation, including 10 others in the House from both parties and Democratic U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, have reported no trades this year.

Listen up

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast, state Sen. John F. Kennedy, R-Macon, talks about his campaign for lieutenant governor and how he plans to distinguish himself in a crowded GOP field. Then, we’re answering questions from the mailbag on Georgia’s abortion laws, the future of Social Security, and more.

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

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.

DA faces review

The Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission launched a year ago to investigate and discipline “rogue” local prosecutors. Brunswick District Attorney Keith Higgins is now on the state oversight panel’s radar.

Commissioners in the five coastal Georgia counties that make up the Brunswick Judicial Circuit recently filed a complaint against Higgins, who has faced questions about the fiscal management of his office for more than a year. He is over budget by more than $1 million with Glynn County, a discrepancy that led the local government to limit payments to Higgins’ office. He responded with a lawsuit, claiming the budget cuts interfere with his ability to prosecute crimes.

The complaint to the PAQC, a copy of which was obtained by reporter Jabari Gibbs with The Current, accuses Higgins of “willful misconduct in office, persistent failure to perform duties” and “conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, which brings the office into disrepute.” The Current is an online news outlet focused on coastal Georgia.

Higgins responded with a press release that labeled the complaint a “politically motivated attack on my character and the staff of the District Attorney’s Office who work hard every day to seek justice for crime victims and provide a safe community where our citizens can live, work, and raise their families.”

Higgins is at least the second district attorney under review by the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission, joining Fulton County DA Fani Willis. It is unknown how many other prosecutors have faced scrutiny from the oversight panel, as its work is confidential. Only when action is taken are complaints made public. Allegations against Willis filed by a California-based newsletter author, media critic and internet talk-show host were dismissed earlier this month.

Today in Washington

Tying the knot

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Former Gov. Nathan Deal found love again. And this weekend, he made it official. Deal married Brenda Micali in a joyful ceremony surrounded by friends, family and plenty of happy tears.

The couple honored their vows with a symbolic gesture: holding a long rope during the ceremony as a sign of their new bond.

After the “I dos,” every guest lifted the rope above their heads while the newlyweds quite literally tied the knot. They briefly fumbled with the ends, prompting Deal to crack a joke to laughter from the small crowd of loved ones.

It was a moving tribute to the joy of finding love again. Deal’s first wife, Sandra, died in 2022. She was beloved across Georgia for her gentle spirit and tireless advocacy for literacy, Sandra’s memory still shapes Deal’s life. He even wrote a children’s book in her honor.

Deal’s friends say they’re overjoyed to see him begin this new chapter.

“You could tell they both found a companion who brings them joy,” said longtime adviser Brian Robinson.

Shoutouts

Credit: Miguel Martinez /AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez /AJC

Birthday:

Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that. Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.

Before you go

Credit: Screenshot/C-SPAN

Credit: Screenshot/C-SPAN

Eagle-eyed C-SPAN viewers last week may have caught a glimpse of the AJC’s Washington Insider columnist, Jamie Dupree, on the House floor. Actually, it was a huge photo of a smiling Dupree that U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-St. Simons Island, produced as he recognized him for his 45th anniversary of working on Capitol Hill.

Carter is known for his “five minute salutes,” lauding hometown heroes and local legends. Around Capitol Hill, Dupree is both. So Jamie, we salute you, too.

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.vanbrimmer@ajc.com.

AJC reporter Adam Vann Brimmer contributed to this report.