Marjorie Taylor Greene bucks the GOP line. Again.
Welcome to the new and improved politics newsletter from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. We’ll be in your inbox every weekday to bring you the three things you need to know from Georgia politics and beyond.
The federal government has been closed for a week now. Did you notice? Furloughed federal workers certainly have — especially now that their back pay might be in doubt.
The two sides aren’t talking yet, at least publicly. When they do, things could get complicated, thanks in part to a Georgia congresswoman.
1. Marjorie Taylor Greene complicates GOP’s position
Democrats in Congress say they won’t vote to reopen the government unless Republicans agree to extend tax credits aimed at making health insurance more affordable. Now, Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene says they have a point.
- Runaway costs. Greene said she is “absolutely disgusted” that health insurance premiums will more than double for some people if the tax credits expire this year.
- The nuance. Greene isn’t siding with Democrats. Instead, she’s chastising Republican leaders for not having a plan for what to do about it and ceding the issue to the left.
- Don’t be surprised. As Tia Mitchell points out, this is just one of many examples of Greene breaking party ranks. She has also criticized Israel’s war with Hamas and pushed for the Trump administration to release investigative files related to accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
2. Jon Ossoff’s campaign has $21 million
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is widely believed to be one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection next year. But don’t confuse vulnerability with weakness. Greg Bluestein breaks down the Atlanta Democrat’s third quarter fundraising haul, which is expected to be among the largest of any candidate in the country.
- Small but mighty. Ossoff’s campaign said the average contribution was just $36. But there were a lot of them. The campaign announced more than 233,000 donors.
- Playing defense. Ossoff’s money means he’ll be prepared for the coming onslaught of attacks. Republican-aligned groups, including the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, have pledged to spend more than $9 million combined to defeat him.
- GOP remains divided. Conservative donors have yet to unite behind a Republican challenger. U.S. Rep. Mike Collins raised $1.9 million, while former football coach Derek Dooley announced $1.8 million. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter hasn’t announced his totals yet.
3. How federal policy is making it tough to fight hunger in Hancock County
Nearly half the children in rural Hancock County, between Atlanta and Augusta, lack or have uncertain access to enough food. Caleb Groves writes about how the problem could soon get worse.
- No data. The U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled an annual survey tracking communities struggling to get enough food, calling it “redundant” and “politicized.” Advocates say losing that data will obscure the facts.
- Limited research. The Trump administration placed researchers investigating food insecurity on administrative leave, meaning fewer ideas on how to combat the problem.
- Shifting costs. President Donald Trump’s new tax and spending law puts more responsibility on Georgia to fund food assistance programs. It could mean Georgia has to decide between spending an extra $800 million to fully fund the programs or cutting benefits.
Looking ahead
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In tomorrow morning’s newsletter, we’ll tell you about a high-stakes televised debate in the Sandy Springs mayoral race.
As always, you can find the latest politics news from Atlanta, Georgia and the South at AJC Politics and on our mobile app.
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