Sports fans hoping to escape the divisive political atmosphere on Sunday by watching the Super Bowl may be out of luck.
Ed Kilgore is a Democratic commentator and New York Magazine columnist with deep roots in Georgia.
In New York magazine, Kilgore suggests that Sunday's Super Bowl match between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots may be the billboard – but the subtext is a match between President Donald Trump and Georgia Congressman John Lewis and his maligned fifth district, which is home to the Falcons.
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Just before the presidential inauguration, Trump and Lewis engaged in a bitter feud, with Lewis vowing not to attend the inauguration because he didn't view the Trump presidency as legitimate, and Trump firing back on Twitter, saying Lewis should spend his time fixing the broken community he represents. It was noted by Atlanta media and residents of the fifth district that the area contains some of Atlanta's wealthiest communities.
"The Pats have an unholy trinity of conspicuous associations with the 45th president of the United States," Kilgore writes.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady are known to be on friendly terms with Trump. Along with citing the dustup with Lewis, Kilgore points to a recent survey from Public Policy Polling that shows the Pats are even more disliked nationally than Trump. Kilgore concludes that most Trump voters will likely be rooting for the Falcons Sunday night, not the Patriots.
As for Kilgore, he says that while he's from Georgia, he's more of a college football fan.
Cox Media Group National Content Desk contributed to this report.
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