On Thursday’s “Politically Georgia” podcast, state Sen. Derek Mallow compared Republican efforts to paint Kamala Harris as a diversity hire to calling her a racial slur.

Mallow, a Democrat representing the Savannah area, said Harris is qualified for the presidency, pointing out that in 2020 Harris was one of Joe Biden’s toughest opponents in the primaries before he selected her as his running mate. Claims by some Republicans that her ascension to the vice presidency was not earned are insulting, he said.

“The word DEI, I tell everybody that’s a way to substitute the n-word in 2024,” he said.

Mallow also said he was heartbroken and angered by state School Superintendent Richard Woods’ decision to not approve Advanced Placement African American studies classes in Georgia schools.

“If you’re going to have European history, then African American history needs to have its own course code and get all the same things that you give European history,” Mallow said.

Later on the show, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter said former President Donald Trump reverted to aggressive political rhetoric at a Charlotte, North Carolina, rally Wednesday. But he backed Trump’s claim that Harris is an “extreme” and “far-left” pick as the Democratic nominee.

Despite the partisanship of the presidential race, Carter said he was working across the aisle in Washington to address the “predatory pricing practices” of pharmaceutical companies.

“I agree there are some very partisan issues out there, and certainly in the presidential race, it is a country divided. We all know that,” Carter said. “But at the same time, the real issues that are impacting people, those are the ones we’re working together on.”

Friday on “Politically Georgia”: The team answers listener mailbag questions.

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(Left to right) Rep. Jasmine Clark, D–Lilburn; Sen. Elena Parent, D– Atlanta; and Sen. Nikki Merritt, D–Grayson, speak to the media at the Georgia State Capitol following a press conference to respond to the state's decision to defund AP African American studies on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

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Toi Cliatt, Trina Martin and her son, Gabe Watson, say they were traumatized when an FBI SWAT team raided their Atlanta home by mistake in 2017. (Courtesy of Institute for Justice)

Credit: Courtesy Institute for Justice