Greg Bluestein
Political Reporter
Greg Bluestein is a political reporter who covers the governor's office and state politics for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He joined the newspaper in June 2012 after spending seven years with the Atlanta bureau of The Associated Press, where he covered a range of beats that included politics and legal affairs. He also contributes to the AJC's Political Insider blog. He's a graduate of the University of Georgia with degrees in journalism and political science and lives with his wife and two daughters in Dunwoody.
Latest from Greg Bluestein
In a dramatic House vote to restrict abortions, the most heated moment came when Democratic state Rep. Renitta Shannon’s microphone was cut off by Speaker David Ralston and she was removed from the podium. Video footage obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed what happened next from a few feet away as the Decatur...
Former state Sen. David Shafer entered the race Saturday to lead the Georgia GOP with an urgent plea for unity as Republicans prepare to face energized Democrats in next year’s election. The Republican told activists at a Gwinnett County GOP meeting that he could unite the party’s fractious core of activists, donors and...
In unison, 20 House Democrats stood and turned their backs on a Republican colleague as he made an emotional and ultimately successful plea to pass one of the strictest abortion bills in the country. Just minutes before, in that very space, lawmakers from both parties had stood and cheered together the passage of a hate-crimes bill that would...
Several days ago, we picked up signs of change coming to the state Capitol, and wondered whether they would hold. Some did, some didn’t. But in the late hours of Crossover Day, one theme worrisome for the GOP did emerge. Suburban Republicans, particularly in the House, found themselves ducking some hard votes that could put them...
The Georgia Senate voted Thursday to approve a measure that would give the state control of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, a move that Atlanta’s mayor said is tantamount to declaring war on the city. The bill’s Republican supporters say the switch is needed to protect the state’s economic engine...
Gov. Brian Kemp put his unequivocal support behind a measure that would ban abortion as soon as a doctor can detect a heartbeat, setting the stage for a showdown in the Georgia House over new restrictions. Kemp said Thursday in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the bill would help preserve the sanctity of life...
Pay attention to an uncertain debate to be settled tonight in the House: the fight over abortion legislation. First, let’s set the stage. Gov. Brian Kemp has vowed to pass the nation’s toughest abortion restrictions during last year’s campaign, and enters office owing a debt to conservatives who got him there. An ally, state...
There was no question that the other shoe existed. It was just a matter of when it would drop. And for the city of Atlanta, the timing couldn’t be worse. Late this morning, the state Senate is expected to take up Senate Bill 131, a measure to authorize the state of Georgia to seize control of city-owned Hartsfield-Jackson...
The farmers had arrived before Gov. Brian Kemp, wearing work boots, jeans and heavy jackets to brace from the biting cold snap outside that posed the latest threat to their crops. Between the 100 or so growers gathered in the crowded Tifton auditorium, there were tens of millions of dollars in failed or damaged crops, a small fortune vanished...
The Georgia Senate is set to vote Thursday on a measure that would give the state control of Atlanta’s airport, a move that Atlanta’s mayor said is tantamount to declaring war on the city. The bill’s Republican supporters say the switch is needed to protect the state’s economic engine from corruption and mismanagement...
Stacey Abrams has dropped hints in a string of recent appearances that she’s not ruling out a bid for president next year. But she might be leaving the possibility open for another White House prize. The Democrat instantly emerged as a potential challenger to U.S. Sen. David Perdue after she narrowly lost last year’s vote...