Georgia Democrats seek ‘crucial third vote’ on PSC
Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Jon Ossoff’s campaign releases a new video highlighting recent scrutiny of Mike Collins.
- Elon Musk weighs spending money to help elect Georgia Republicans.
- A recap of Elizabeth Warren’s visit to Georgia.
Special attention
Democrats face an uphill climb to flip control of chambers at the Georgia Capitol or the congressional delegation in the midterms. But majority control of one policymaking body is within the party’s reach: the Georgia Public Service Commission.
Democrats won two seats on the five-member commission last year, ending the two-decade-long, all-Republican stranglehold on the utility regulatory panel. With two posts on the ballot in November — and no GOP incumbents to defeat — PSC nominees received special attention at Saturday’s Georgia Democratic Convention in Savannah, our colleague Adam Van Brimmer reports.
The two Democratic commissioners, Peter Hubbard and Alicia Johnson, spoke at the gathering, as did Sheila Edwards, who is vying for an open PSC seat. Hubbard is also on the ballot running for reelection. The election he won last year was supposed to be contested in 2022 but was delayed by litigation, forcing him to run for the same post — against the same opponent, Republican Fitz Johnson — twice in a 13-month span.
All three Democrats focused their messaging on acting as watchdogs of Georgia Power, the state’s largest electricity provider. They expressed concerns about the proliferation of data center developments and the utility’s building of new fossil fuel-powered generators to serve them.
“November is our chance to get that third crucial vote on the PSC,” Hubbard said. “With your help, we can lock in a 3-2 majority for the next four years.”
Things to know
Good morning! Here are three things to know for today:
- In exclusive interviews with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the five members of the State Election Board offered competing visions about just how much power the body has, election security and how much federal intervention is acceptable, Caleb Groves and Tamar Hallerman report.
- The world’s largest law firm is bolstering its deeply rooted government affairs practice in Atlanta as economic development surges in the Southeast and Georgia prepares to elect new leaders, writes Rosie Manins.
- U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams did more than cast a vote when she decided against making daylight saving time permanent — she made a statement. She was the only Georgia lawmaker to oppose the Sunshine Protection Act that passed the House in July, writes Sophia Eppley.
Confidence or rhetoric?
A pep rally is a place for wild predictions and proclamations, and speakers at the 2026 Georgia Democratic Convention made their share. There were a few midterm election prognostications that stood out during the annual political gathering on Saturday.
- Georgia Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones II of Augusta predicted he would be the chamber’s majority leader come January. He said the party would flip the necessary 10 seats to equal the Republicans in the Senate and protect the powers of Lt. Gov. Josh McLaurin, who he said would defeat Republican nominee Greg Dolezal.
- Tony Kozycki, Democratic nominee in Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, boldly declared that “Georgia is no longer purple, it is deep, deep blue.” Kozycki is challenging U.S. Rep. Rick McCormick, R-Suwanee, who won reelection in 2024 by winning nearly 65% of the vote.
Warren in Georgia
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren came to Georgia to celebrate what she called the biggest federal housing law in more than three decades. But the former Democratic presidential candidate also used the moment to reinforce U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s reelection message.
In an interview Friday, Warren credited Ossoff and fellow Georgia Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock with helping shape a bipartisan housing bill that aims to boost construction and limits large private equity firms from snapping up more single-family homes.
That message bled into politics, as she framed the race between Republican nominee Mike Collins and Ossoff as a referendum on costs.
“Donald Trump ran for office throughout 2024 promising that on day one he would lower costs,” Warren said. “We’re now more than 500 days into this Trump administration and costs are up, up, up.”
She contrasted that with what she called Democrats’ ability to “fight to lower costs and deliver” on affordable housing and other measures.
“This is the moment when voters have the clearest choice in front of them about economic issues that touch their families directly,” Warren added.
Ossoff’s offense
Ossoff’s campaign is releasing a new video today that highlights Collins cutting short a news conference after reporters repeatedly questioned him about his links to far-right figures.
The video stitches together coverage of the tense exchange, which came amid scrutiny of Collins’ son-in-law David Alan Scheer II, who posted neo-Nazi propaganda on social media.
Ossoff’s campaign also is organizing a group of Black pastors this morning who are holding a news conference to demand a public apology.
Collins is sticking to his message, too. He received an ovation Saturday night from the Georgia Black Republican Council as he framed the race as a battle between a “results-oriented, common-sense approach or a radical socialist approach.”
He added, “That’s why I will win this November, because Georgia is tired of carrying the burden of Jon Ossoff’s socialist agenda.”
Listen up
Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast we answer questions from listeners about Rick Jackson’s campaign for governor, including whether his pledge to potentially fund Trump accounts himself raises legal concerns.
You can listen and subscribe to “Politically Georgia” for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube 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.
Musk money
Elon Musk, known as the world’s richest person, is contemplating spending cash to help Georgia Republicans get elected, the New York Times reports.
Musk recently authorized his super PAC, America PAC, to spend $100 million to $120 million on elections. The initial target is races in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan and Ohio. But Musk is also considering supporting candidates in Georgia, North Carolina and Texas.
California, Washington and Wisconsin could also be added to the list. The money will be used to support candidates in competitive U.S. House and Senate races.
Today in Washington
- President Donald Trump will sign an executive order.
- The House is out until Aug. 31.
- The Senate will begin working on a stopgap government funding plan to avoid a Sept. 30 government shutdown.
Shoutouts
Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.
Before you go
It’s the first day of school for Atlanta Public Schools and several other school systems in the state. APS announced Saturday that it’s starting the year fully staffed, with no vacancies for principals, teachers, or bus drivers. “Here’s to an incredible start to the 2026–2027 school year!”
That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider information to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.