Rivian ceremony reaffirms Brian Kemp’s bet on electric vehicle industry

When Gov. Brian Kemp and other political elites celebrate Rivian’s groundbreaking ceremony in east Georgia today, they won’t just mark the formal kickoff of a long-delayed $5 billion project. They’ll also be reaffirming Georgia’s bet on an electric vehicle industry facing fresh pressure from the Trump administration.

Georgia’s other marquee new auto venture — the massive Hyundai electric vehicle and battery complex — has dominated recent headlines after a federal immigration raid that strained international tensions and prompted President Donald Trump this week to assure foreign investors that they were wanted in the U.S.

But before Hyundai set roots in southeast Georgia, it was Rivian that delivered the state’s biggest economic prize in decades — and the first new auto plant to commit to the state since 2006.

Kemp’s administration has stuck with Rivian through setbacks and delays. His allies and adversaries have critiqued the roughly $1.5 billion bounty of state and local incentives that helped seal the deal.

Trump’s allies have targeted the $6.6 billion federal loan approved by then-President Joe Biden to support the stalled factory. And a judge’s recent ruling favoring the plant’s critics is a reminder of the ongoing community backlash to the massive project.

Still, Kemp has cast Rivian as a cornerstone of Georgia’s manufacturing future and a linchpin for the 7,500 jobs it promises. Rivian, meanwhile, has rewarded the state with plans for an East Coast headquarters in Atlanta that could eventually employ hundreds more.

Today’s ceremony near Rutledge marks only the next phase. It comes at a time when uncertainty looms across the industry, from tariff fights to a rollback of federal clean-energy incentives.

Full disclosure: Cox Enterprises, which owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, also has about a 3% stake in Rivian.

Good morning! We’re one week away from a special election in state Senate District 21. We’re 49 days away from a special election for the Public Service Commission and elections for local government seats across the state.

When the Trump administration’s tariffs slashed the amount of cargo from China to Georgia’s ports, officials quickly looked to southeast Asia — especially India — to pick up the slack.

But President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs — a 50% increase on India as punishment for their purchase of Russian oil — threatens to slow Georgia’s growth once again.

Georgia Ports Authority President and CEO Griff Lynch didn’t mention the tariffs during his speech to the Atlanta Rotary Club on Monday, where he again extolled the potential of Southeast Asia in Georgia’s economic future as Ramesh Babu Lakshmanan, India’s consul general in Atlanta, listened from the audience.

“We see Southeast Asia as a major part of our success, and the Indian subcontinent,” Lynch said. “And I’m not just saying that here because the consul general is here with us — although that helps.”

After the meeting, Lynch told us he is optimistic about the impact of the tariffs, saying “we’re focused on the long term.”

The shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has sparked an outpouring of grief in Republican circles, with at least a half-dozen memorials held in Georgia so far.

“Even though that bullet killed Charlie Kirk, that bullet was meant for every person in this room. It was meant to kill and destroy our ideals and our beliefs which founded this country,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Collins of Jackson, who is also running for U.S. Senate.

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor, said the experience also made his family question his safety. “Daddy, are you in danger?” Jones said his son asked. He answered, “No son, when you believe in Christ, you do not fear man.”

Attorney General Chris Carr, also a GOP candidate for governor, said in prepared remarks that “the left has taught a generation that words are violence and free speech is violence.”

“If we believe that, we lose our country,” he said.

The shuffle started earlier this year when Commission Chair Horace Daniel resigned. That triggered a special election in June. Commissioner Doug Watkins, a seven-year veteran of the board, filed to run. But so did Mel Daniel Jr., Horace Daniel’s son, who had no political experience.

Voters ultimately stuck with the familiar name, electing Mel Daniel Jr. to replace his dad.

Today, voters will replace Watkins in District 1. Three candidates are on the ballot: Ronnie Freeman, Felisa Hicks Cooper and Harlan T. Archer.

In Cook County, Brian Harrell, Phil Morris Jr. and Willie R. Wooten are vying for a seat on the county commission in District 1. The winner will fulfill the unexpired term of Debra Robinson McKenney, who died in June.

In Wilkes County, Christopher Ketrow and Kimberly Rainey are competing for the District 1 seat on the Washington City Council. The winner will replace former Council member Maceo Mahoney, who died in April.

It looks like Georgia native Lisa Cook has won the latest round in her battle with the Trump administration.

A federal appeals court declined to remove her from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors ahead of the start of its two-day meeting today.

President Donald Trump had tried to fire Cook, accusing her of mortgage fraud by saying she listed her Atlanta condo as her primary residence to avoid steeper taxes. But over the weekend, new documents emerged showing Cook had listed the property as a “vacation home,” casting doubt on Trump’s claims.

Trump did enjoy a victory on Monday night, when the U.S. Senate confirmed his pick of Stephen Miran to replace Adriana Kugler, who resigned last month.

Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast Georgia Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon discusses the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and what it means for security at political events. Then AJC reporter Zachary Hansen talks about Rivian’s planned electric vehicle plant near Rutledge.

You can listen and subscribe to Politically Georgia 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.

Mark your calendars: the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday will consider whether to advance former Buckhead City Committee Chair Bill White’s nomination to be the next U.S. ambassador to Belgium.

White, a close friend of President Donald Trump, decamped from Atlanta to Palm Beach after the 2024 elections, but not before his ill-fated attempt to separate the wealthy Buckhead neighborhood from the city of Atlanta.

“Diplomatic” would hardly be the way most would describe White’s style. But in the president’s announcement nominating him to the post, Trump called White, “a highly respected businessman, philanthropist, author and advocate” for the military and veterans.

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.

After lobbying Gov. Brian Kemp for limits on jury awards, Ford Motor Co. settled two lawsuits in Georgia that elicited record-setting, billion-dollar jury verdicts.

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.

AJC reporter Caleb Groves contributed to this report.