Also in today’s edition of Swing State Georgia:
Rudy Giuliani is a target of the Trump probe in Georgia.
Georgia Republicans peddle new theories about Trump raid.
State Democrats take a victory lap on Biden policy bill.
At a time when Democrats are accusing Republicans of hurting the Georgia economy by backing tough anti-abortion limits and a variety of pro-gun measures, Gov. Brian Kemp gets to spike the football with his response today.
The College Football title game is returning to Atlanta in 2025 - giving Kemp the chance to tout his economic policies - and subtly take a few jabs at Stacey Abrams and Democrats along the way with that announcement.
Abrams has argued that the cancellation of big events like Music Midtown - because of a dustup over the lack of restrictions on firearms on public land - shows how GOP policies are dampening the state’s economy and endangering future big gatherings.
But Kemp has the edge in his race with Abrams in terms of using the power of his office to make new announcements about business coming to Georgia - like the Rivian electric vehicle plant - and the college football playoff is no different.
And it can’t hurt for the Georgia Governor to wrap himself in the Red & Black of the University of Georgia as a reminder to voters as well.
MONEY MONEY MONEY. The power of incumbency was on the menu yesterday as well for Kemp. And it might have come with a bitter taste for Democrats.
When Congress approved several hundred billion dollars in COVID relief for state and local governments, top Democrats might not have envisioned this possibility - Republican governors handing out cash in 2022.
But that's where things are in Georgia, as Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday that he will use leftover federal aid to pay for checks of $350 per person - if you are enrolled in certain benefit programs in the state.
Our insider Greg Bluestein takes up the story at this link.
Kemp is using federal aid that’s leftover from the American Rescue Plan to pay for checks of $350 per person enrolled in some of the state’s major benefits programs. According to the governor’s office those programs include: Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF.
The governor’s office estimates this move could benefit approximately 3 million Georgia residents. More than one person in each household could qualify for the payments.
Of course, you don't need a political science degree to remember that Kemp and other Republicans bitterly opposed Democrats approving that money.
But now it's making a GOP splash in an election year.
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RUDY EN ROUTE. There will be a lot of attention tomorrow on the Georgia investigation of Donald Trump, as his lawyer Rudy Giuliani is expected in Atlanta to testify in court after his lawyers failed to delay his subpoena, the AJC’s Tamar Hallerman reports.
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