Choices by Lucy McBath, Nikema Williams upend Georgia’s Democratic politics

Today’s newsletter highlights:

• State senators back prizes for hunters of feral hogs.
• Stalled bills find new life in legislature’s final week.
• Federal judge dismisses Georgia voting lawsuit.

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath (left), D-Marietta, has suspended her potential bid for governor, while U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (right), D-Atlanta, has stepped down as chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.

In the span of just a few hours on Monday, two major moves by state Democratic leaders reshaped the political landscape in Georgia.

First came U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams’ resignation as chair of the state Democratic Party, a decision that followed pressure from activists, donors and officials — including U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff — who wanted a change in direction heading into the 2026 cycle.

Then came our interview with U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, who revealed she’s suspending her exploratory committee for governor as her husband undergoes treatment for cancer. It was a personal and emotional decision — and one that throws the Democratic field wide open.

Once considered a potential front-runner, McBath’s step back means it’s far more likely that former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond and state Sen. Jason Esteves will enter the race.

And some party insiders believe Stacey Abrams is giving more serious thought to a third run for governor.

Williams’ decision was expected — a vote by grassroots members on Saturday cleared the way for her departure. But it left a void atop a sprawling party apparatus under intense scrutiny after President Donald Trump recaptured the state in November.

Among the early names floated as a successor: Charlie Bailey, a former Democratic nominee for attorney general and lieutenant governor.

Things to know

State Sen. Elena Parent, D-Atlanta, and Rep. Holt Persinger, R-Winder, speak about an amendment to a school safety bill at the Capitol in Atlanta on Monday.

We’re just three days away from Sine Die, the final day of the legislative session. Lawmakers were busy on Monday passing bills ahead of Friday’s deadline. Here’s a look at some legislation that is on its way to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk:

• Senate Bill 1 would ban transgender athletes from competing against women in high school and college sports. The AJC’s Maya T. Prabhu reports the vote came on International Transgender Day of Visibility.
• House Bill 123 would make it easier for people with intellectual disabilities to avoid the death penalty. The AJC’s Shaddi Abusaid reports the legislation would put Georgia in line with 26 other states.
• House Bills 150 and 358 would restrict land purchases by citizens of countries considered a threat to the United States and require more transparency about universities that get funding from those nations. The AJC’s Michelle Baruchman reports both bills target China.
• Senate Bill 199 would overhaul campaign finance rules. The AJC’s David Wickert reports it would prevent the State Ethics Commission from disclosing the home addresses of candidates and elected officials.
• Senate Bill 212 would limit what information political campaigns can collect about students. Baruchman reports the bill was rooted in a contentious Senate campaign last year between Republican Sen. Shawn Still and Democratic challenger Ashwin Ramaswami.
• House Bill 268 would require public schools to plan for behavioral health needs of students and to identify and mitigate potential threats. Baruchman writes it’s in response to the shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County last year. “As legislators, we have no higher calling than to provide every student across our state with a safe and secure learning environment,” House Speaker Jon Burns said.

Try your luck

Georgia lawmakers are considering rewarding hunters who kill wild hogs.

Georgia has about 600,000 feral hogs that officials blame for causing $150 million of damage to farms and timberlands each year.

The preferred method of killing them — setting traps with bait — is expensive. With the budget tightening, state senators want to try something else: fabulous prizes!

Well, a cash prize anyway. The Senate’s budget proposal includes $100,000 for a program that would enter hog hunters into weekly drawings for the chance to win cash. The more hogs you kill, the better your chances of winning, according to state Sen. Larry Walker III, a Republican from Perry who is chair of the appropriations subcommittee that oversees agriculture.

“It’s going to have to be cheaper. The budget’s tight,” he said. ‘I think it’s worth exploring.“

These bounty programs aren’t new, and they can be tricky. A study of a 2007 program at Fort Benning found the hog population actually increased during a similar bounty program. Researchers think it’s partly because there was more food available from hunters trying to bait the hogs that it aided their reproduction.

Georgia had a bounty program from 2014 to 2016, but it was shuttered in part because farmers were reluctant to let strangers hunt on their land.

Second chances

State Rep. Phil Olaleye, D-Atlanta, listens at a recent House Governmental Affairs Committee at the Paul D. Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta.

Things are not always as they seem on April Fools’ Day, and that’s especially true for bills in the state Legislature during the final week of session.

Bills that are still alive can act as lifeboats for stalled proposals. All you need to do is stick on an amendment and hope it passes before Friday’s deadline.

Here’s a look at some of our favorite examples:

• House Bill 233 was supposed to declare Brunswick stew as the official state stew. Now, it also declares cornbread as the official state bread, designates the fourth Friday in November as “National Sugarcane Syrup Day” and bans China from contracting with state agencies.
• House Bill 254 was supposed to place a bronze historic marker on the Capitol grounds noting Georgia’s role as one of the 13 original colonies ahead of America’s 250th birthday next year. Now, it also requires a statue of Georgia native and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas be placed in front of the Nathan Deal Judicial Center.
• House Bill 483 started out increasing penalties for people who assault code inspectors. Now, it would remove legal protections from librarians if children come across “harmful materials.”

Ending the income tax

State Sen. Larry Walker III, R-Perry, is a member of the Senate Rules Committee.

In their quest to get rid of Georgia’s income tax, are Republicans getting in their own way?

That’s been the message from some Senate Republicans as the legislative session wraps up this week.

Georgia collects roughly $16 billion in income taxes each year, the largest single source of state revenue. Lawmakers would have to replace that money somehow. But instead of finding alternative tax sources, Republicans have been eager to hand out tax credits to various industries.

It happened Monday when the Senate Rules Committee revived two tax credits, one benefiting post production film companies and another aimed at encouraging small businesses to purchase backup generators following the destruction of Hurricane Helene.

“At some point, if we’re going to eliminate the state income tax, we’ve got to quit doing this,” said state Sen. Larry Walker III, R-Perry.

State Sen. Blake Tillery, the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, included an Easter egg in the Senate’s budget proposal. It lists taxes that Georgia exempts. When you add it all up, it’s more than the state collects in income taxes.

“Every time we pass another one, we make it harder to eliminate the state income tax,” he said.

Under the Gold Dome

The Georgia Capitol in Atlanta.

The Legislature won’t meet today so lawmakers can work in their various committees. Pay attention to the Rules Committees in the House and Senate, as they decide which bills will get a vote over the final two days of the legislative session.

• 9 a.m.: House Rules Committee meets.
• 12:30 p.m.: Senate Rules Committee meets
• 1 p.m.: House Transportation Committee meets to swear in Joe Stein as a member of the State Transportation Board for the 7th Congressional District.

It’s over

A judge has dismissed a long-running lawsuit over the touchscreen voting system in Georgia.

A federal judge dismissed a seven-year-old lawsuit challenging Georgia’s touchscreen voting system. But it wasn’t all bad news for the plaintiffs.

The case was brought by liberal and conservative voters and the Coalition for Good Governance, an election security organization. While she dismissed their case, U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg noted their lawsuit “helped spark real legislative change.” She pointed to a law passed last year that would eliminate computer-readable QR codes from ballots by July 1, 2026.

“If these legislative measures are ultimately funded and implemented, they are the type of timely legislative action that can bolster public confidence in the management and security of Georgia’s voting system,” Totenberg wrote.

The AJC’s election expert Mark Niesse notes lawmakers have not budgeted money to pay the estimated $66 million cost of removing QR codes. Lawmakers have until Friday to pass a budget for the 2026 fiscal year.

Listen up

(Left to right) "Politically Georgia" podcast hosts Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy and producer Shane Backler interview State Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, at the Capitol in Atlanta on Monday.

Today on “Politically Georgia‚” the hosts discuss U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath’s decision to suspend her exploratory committee for governor. Then, the AJC’s Mark Niesse discusses potential changes in state election laws.

Have a question or comment for the show? 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.

Today in Washington

• President Donald Trump has no public events scheduled.
• The House is expected to vote on legislation reversing a Biden administration rule that would have capped bank overdraft fees.
• The Senate will vote on more of Trump’s nominees.

Shoutouts

Sen. Emanuel Jones, D-Decatur, was first sworn into the Georgia Senate in 2005. He was named by the AJC as one of the best dressed lawmakers of 2021.

Today’s birthday:

• State Sen. Emanuel Jones, D-Decatur.

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

State Rep. Josh Bonner, R-Fayetteville, said Republicans briefly considered renaming their transgender sports bill the “Gavin Newsom Act” after the Democratic California governor and potential 2028 presidential candidate said it is “deeply unfair” for transgender athletes to compete against women.