The British Parliament repealed the Stamp Act on February 22, 1766.
Georgia’s first Governor Archibald Bulloch died mysteriously on February 22, 1777.
[Bulloch] became a leader in the state’s Liberty Party and was elected to the Commons House of Assembly in 1768, to the post of speaker of the Georgia Royal Assembly in 1772 and finally to the Continental Congress in 1775.
On June 20, 1776, Bulloch was elected the first president and commander in chief of Georgia’s temporary government, posts he held until February 5, 1777, when Georgia adopted its state constitution. Just over three weeks later, on February 22, 1777, Georgia faced a British invasion, and the state’s new government granted Bulloch executive power to head off the British forces. A few hours later, Bulloch was dead. The cause of his death remains unknown but unsubstantiated rumors of his poisoning persist.
[H]e is also known as the great-great-grandfather of America’s 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt.
On February 20, 1792, President George Washington signed the Postal Service Act, creating the United States Postal Service.
The act allowed for newspapers to be included in mail deliveries and made it illegal for postal officials to open anyone’s mail.
The Washington Monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885.
The Cyclorama painting of the Battle of Atlanta went on display on Edgewood Avenue on February 22, 1892.
John Lewis, was born on February 21, 1940 in Pike County Alabama. In 1963, Lewis became President of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, based in Atlanta. In 1981, Lewis was elected to an at-large seat on the Atlanta City Council, and in 1986, he was elected to Congress, defeating Julian Bond in the Democratic Primary.
On February 21, 1958, Governor Marvin Griffin signed legislation creating the Stone Mountain Memorial Association to oversee construction and operation of a Confederate memorial and public park at the site.
On February 20, 1970, Georgia ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote. The Amendment states:
Section 1. The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Seriously. 1970. Luckily ratification occurred when Tennessee approved adoption of the Amendment on April 18, 1920.
Interestingly, the only case in which the United States Supreme Court has addressed the Nineteenth Amendment arose in Georgia. Breedlove v. Suttles was a suit brought in Fulton County Superior Court concerning the poll tax. Here’s an excerpt:
The tax being upon persons, women may be exempted on the basis of special considerations to which they are naturally entitled. In view of burdens necessarily borne by them for the preservation of the race, the state reasonably may exempt them from poll taxes.
The laws of Georgia declare the husband to be the head of the family and the wife to be subject to him. To subject her to the levy would be to add to his burden. Moreover, Georgia poll taxes are laid to raise money for educational purposes, and it is the father’s duty to provide for education of the children. Discrimination in favor of all women being permissible, appellant may not complain because the tax is laid only upon some or object to registration of women without payment of taxes for previous years.
Privilege of voting is not derived from the United States, but is conferred by the state and, save as restrained by the Fifteenth and Nineteenth Amendments and other provisions of the Federal Constitution, the state may condition suffrage as it deems appropriate.
It is fanciful to suggest that the Georgia law is a mere disguise under which to deny or abridge the right of men to vote on account of their sex. The challenged enactment is not repugnant to the Nineteenth Amendment.
Bless their hearts.
On February 20, 1974, Reg Murphy, an editor for The Atlanta Constitution was kidnapped and held until managing editor G. James Minter delivered $700,000 in ransom. I’m not sure if they’d pay 700 cents to get any employee back nowadays.
On February 22, 1976, a series of U.S. Postage stamps commemorating the Bicentennial was issued, featuring the state flags.
On February 21, 1998, Julian Bond was selected as Chairman of the NAACP. Bond was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1965, but the House initially refused to seat him due to his opposition to the war in Vietnam. The United States Supreme Court eventually ruled against the House and Bond was sworn in on January 9, 1967, serving there until his election to the Georgia State Senate. In 1986, Bond left the Senate to run for Congress.
The Savannah Powder Magazine received a local historical designation, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Savannah City Council approved a local historic property designation for the powder magazine last week. The designation marks the first property to receive the classification in what preservationists hope will be a spark plug igniting protections for other properties citywide.
By unanimous vote, council created a historic property overlay district and designated the powder magazine as the first property under it. The new zoning measure is designed to protect specific properties within the city, particularly those that exist outside of its local historic districts.
Local historic districts are designed to protect the historic character of broader areas, such as neighborhoods, across the city. Individual properties can be deemed as contributing to the overall district’s historic character and receive individual protections that way.
But some properties, such as the powder magazine, fall outside those districts.
“I think it’s important for people to recognize there are historic resources that are not downtown or not in a (historic) district,” said Ellie Isaacs, partner at Landmark Preservation Consulting, who served as a consultant on the property’s designation and National Register of Historic Places application.
The Columbus Museum opened a new exhibition on the career of long-time “Dean of the General Assembly,” former State Rep. Calvin Smyre, according to WTVM.
A special exhibit honoring the legacy of former Georgia State Representative Calvin Smyre opened Thursday at the Columbus Museum. Museum officials said visitors can expect an in-depth look at Smyre’s five decades of public service and contributions to the community.
“As I look back and I reflect back I tell myself how grateful and how thankful I am to be able to serve that many years in public policy,” Smyre said.
Kristen Hudson, director of marketing for the Columbus Museum, said the timing during Black History Month adds significance to the event.
“It couldn’t be a more perfect time during black history month, I think it just absolutely puts that added importance over this event,” Hudson said.
Smyre became the youngest member to win a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives at 27 years old. He also assisted in establishing Juneteenth and MLK Day as state holidays.
Smyre said the recognition is meaningful to him.
“It fills my heart and brings tears to my eyes sometimes from how thankful and grateful I am when I look back over my life. I just want to thank my family, parents, and those who that assisted me along the way who were not here to see it,” Smyre said.
The opening event runs until 8 p.m. Thursday. The exhibit will remain on display until March 1.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Early voting continues for three Special Elections in Extreme Northwest Georgia. From WRGA News:
Early voting for the March 10 Special Election to fill the 14th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives continues.
Voters will be able to cast ballots on Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Floyd County elections office on East 12th Street.
There will be another weekend of early voting on February 28 and March 1.
You can also vote weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the elections office or at the Anthony Recreation Center in Garden Lakes.
There are 22 candidates on the ballot:
They are Republicans Colton Moore, Clay Fuller, Trey Kelley, Brian Stover, Beau Brown, Eric Cunningham, Meghan Strickland, Reagan Box, Star Black, Marty Brown, Jenna Turnipseed, Jim Tully, Nicky Lama, and Tom Gray
Although their names still appear on the ballot, Jared Craig and Christian Hurd have both dropped out of the race and have endorsed Clay Fuller. Larry Hilley has also dropped out of the race.
There are also three Democrats—Shawn Harris, Jim Davis, and Jonathan Hobbs; one Libertarian—Andrew Underwood, and one independent—Bob “Rush” Ruszkowski.
In addition to the congressional race, voters in Northern Floyd County, mostly the Armuchee area, are deciding who will be elected to fill a vacant seat in the Georgia State Senate.
The 53rd District seat was left vacant when Colton Moore stepped down to run for Congress.
The candidates include three Republicans–Blake Elsberry, Denise Pierce Burns, and Lanny Thomas, along with one Democrat–John Bentley (Jack) Zibluk.
Three candidates qualified … to run for the City Council in the March 10th special municipal election. The Ward 2 City Council seat was left vacant by the January 6th resignation of former Councilmember Nicky Lama who stepped down to run for Congress.
In alphabetical order, Rojelio Alvarron, Julie Locke, and Zeucis L. Martinez have all qualified for the election and will appear on the ballot. The winner of the election will serve out the unexpired portion of Lama’s term which began January 1st and will run through the end of 2029.
The election will be held March 10th (7:00 am – 7:00 pm) and will coincide with the special Congressional election to replace former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. There will be an early voting period at the Whitfield County Courthouse from February 16th through March 6th (Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm). Saturday voting is scheduled on Feb. 21st and Feb 28th from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm. And there will be extended voting on March 5th (8:00 am – 7:00 pm).
Under the Gold Dome Today
TBD Senate Rules Committee: Upon Adj 450 CAP
8 AM HOUSE HUMAN REL & AGING 341 CAP
8 AM CANCELED: HOUSE WAYS & MEANS 506 CLOB
8 AM HOUSE BANKS & BANKING 406 CLOB
8 AM HOUSE MOTOR VEHICLES 606 CLOB
9 AM HOUSE FLOOR SESSION (LD22) House Chamber
9 AM CANCELED: HOUSE RULES 341 CAP
9:30 AM Senate Floor Session (LD 22) Senate Chamber
12 PM Senate Special Comm Investigations 450 CAP
Oh, no! Del Taco appears to have closed their Georgia locations, according to the Savannah Morning News.
While no official announcement has been made, Del Taco has scrubbed the entire “Georgia” section from its online directory. When you try to search for and click on the Georgia page from Google, you get a message that reads “Sorry, this location no longer exists.”
In addition, local Georgia news outlets have reported their Del Tacos have abruptly closed, with some reporting signs on the windows announcing permanent closures. This includes the Calhoun Times in Calhoun, WTVM in Columbus, and both Rough Draft Atlanta and the Marietta Daily Journal regarding different locations in the Atlanta area.
And if that’s not bad enough, Athens’ legendary Weaver D’s will close next week, according to the Athens Banner Herald.
Dexter Weaver is calling it quits, and the end of his famous restaurant is quickly approaching.
The founder of Weaver D’s Delicious Fine Foods has retired, and the restaurant will close on Thursday, Feb. 26, the Athens Banner-Herald confirmed.
Known for its soul food like fried chicken and collard greens, and made famous in 1992 by Athens-bred indie-alternative group R.E.M. when it named its eight studio album after the restaurant’s slogan ‘Automatic for the People,’ Weaver said in October that the property and restaurant were up for sale.
President Donald Trump had something to say about Atlanta before his trip yesterday to Rome, Georgia, according to the Savannah Morning News.
“You need help in Atlanta,” Trump said during the speech. “We could take care of Atlanta so fast.”
He added that local leaders “don’t want to call” for assistance and suggested the city would not fix crime issues on its own.
Trump said efforts to reduce crime would focus on removing what he described as “career criminals.” He stated that a small percentage of people are responsible for most crime and said removing repeat offenders would significantly reduce violence.
“We move people out,” Trump said. “We take career criminals, and we get them out. We bring them back to the country from where they came.”
And then more once he arrived, according to the Savannah Morning News.
The president began his speech by recognizing the passing of civil rights leader, former presidential candidate and Black icon Jesse Jackson.
“Jesse was a piece of work,” Trump said in his opening remarks. “But he was a good man. He was a real hero, I just want to pay my highest respects to Rev. Jesse Jackson. He was a good man. He was actually, as you go to know him, he got better and better all the time. Lot of people, you get to know them, they get worse and worse. Jesse got better and better.”
The crowd was filled with allies and friends of the president, including Herschel Walker, a former University of Georgia football star who ran for Congress in 2020.
“Herschel Walker, speaking about loyal,” the president said later in his remarks. “What a good football player was Herschel.”
Trump said federal intervention could “take care of Atlanta so fast.”
From Atlanta News First via WTVM:
Trump touched down in Georgia shortly after 2:30 p.m. and departed for his events shortly before 3 p.m.
Around 4:30 p.m., he delivered remarks at the Coosa Steel Corporation facility after a trip to The Varsity in Rome. His remarks wrapped shortly before 5:45 p.m.
He discussed the economy and tariffs. Coosa Steel owner Andrew Saville also spoke, saying that Trump’s tariffs have benefitted him and his business.
Clay Fuller, the district attorney for the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, spoke before Trump. Fuller is running for former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s seat and has been endorsed by the president.
Trump visited The Varsity around 3:20 p.m., his motorcade passing crowds of onlookers along the way, some waving and holding pro-Trump signs and others raising their middle fingers.
“Nice place you got here,” said Trump as he walked into the packed restaurant.
The president asked the crowd if they liked Voter ID and was met with applause.
Trump also spoke about the FBI raid on Fulton County’s elections hub.
“They came in and they took all those ballots, all those crooked ballots were taken,” he said. “Let’s see what happens. And the Democrats are fighting like hell. They don’t want anyone to see those ballots. Did you see that? Let’s see what happens. It’s a disgrace, but what are you going to do?”
Trump hugged workers behind the counter, went around shaking hands with customers and signed hats. When a man asked Trump to sign his name on what he said was a presidential lifetime achievement award signed by former President Joe Biden, Trump obliged.
He told the workers “no tax on tips” and some applauded. He pointed to one worker he said had been working for The Varsity for almost 50 years.
“She paid tax for all those years,” Trump said.
Trump gave an interview for the Josh Pate’s College Football Show podcast during his visit to The Varsity. Before the interview, he asked the crowd if they thought Biden would do a podcast interview like the one he’s doing.
Rome Mayor Jim Bojo introduced himself and shook Trump’s hand as he was leaving for Coosa Steel.
Hundreds were gathered outside the entrance of the facility with flags and signs when he arrived.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who got Trump’s endorsement in the Georgia gubernatorial race, and Republican Congressman Brian Jack, who represents Georgia’s 3rd congressional district, accompanied the president during his stops.
UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton and former UGA running back Herschel Walker – who was also the 2022 GOP Senate nominee for Georgia and is now the U.S. ambassador for the Bahamas – also accompanied Trump.
During his remarks at the plant, Stockton, Walker, Jones and Jack all joined Trump on stage. U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who’s running for U.S. Senate, also joined the president on stage.
Also present during the trip were Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Kelly Loeffler, a former U.S. senator for Georgia and the current head of the Small Business Administration.
Trump has made it clear that he wants Republicans to keep control of Congress. With just a slim majority, he’s campaigning for several key races that could determine the party’s future in power — including the 14th district.
Once a staunch Trump ally, Marjorie Taylor Greene held the 14th district’s seat for five years. But she stepped down in January, citing her disillusionment with Trump and some of his policies after he dubbed her a “traitor.”
Georgia’s 14th congressional district stretches from the Chattanooga, Tennessee, metropolitan area in an east/south arc toward metro Atlanta’s outlying suburbs. The district’s major population centers are Dalton (Whitfield County), Rome (Floyd County), Cartersville (Bartow County area near Paulding County) and portions of Paulding County (Dallas).
There are currently 18 candidates in the 14th district race — 13 Republicans, three Democrats, one Libertarian and one independent. Early voting started on Monday and runs through March 7.
During his remarks, Trump emphasized what he called election integrity, pointing to the upcoming March 10 special election to fill Georgia’s 14th Congressional District seat, previously held by Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Trump called for stricter voter identification laws and proof of citizenship requirements. He said mail-in ballots should be limited to military members stationed overseas and voters who are ill or otherwise unable to vote in person.
The president also touted his administration’s economic policies, crediting tariffs and manufacturing investments with boosting job growth in Georgia.
Trump said more than 5,000 manufacturing jobs have been created in the state and pointed to tens of thousands of construction jobs tied to factory development.
He argued his energy policies have reduced costs for consumers, claiming gas prices have dropped significantly over the past year. Trump also said his tax policies could save Georgia families about $3,000 this year.
In addition, the president announced more than $1 billion in infrastructure investments and over $200 million aimed at strengthening rural healthcare systems in Georgia.
Outside the rally venue, a small group of demonstrators gathered holding signs calling to defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and chanting “People over politics.”
Thursday’s visit marked Trump’s first trip to Georgia since winning a second term in the White House in 2024.
He also brought to the stage a number of GOP congressional candidates running in various House districts in the Peach State, including Clay Fuller, a local prosecutor who is running to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) after her falling-out with Trump.
But Trump was most forceful when discussing his tariff policy, in particular referencing a highly anticipated Supreme Court decision that will determine whether his tariffs can stay in place.
“Without tariffs, what would you do? You know what, everybody would be bankrupt,” Trump told supporters at the rally.
“And I have to wait for this decision,” he roared. “I’ve been waiting forever, forever. And the language is clear that I have the right to do it as president. I have the right to put tariffs on for national security purposes, countries that have been ripping us off for years. You know what they were doing? They were using tariffs.”
“I have to listen to the fake news talk about ‘affordability, affordability,’” Trump told the crowd.
“Do you notice, what word have you not heard over the last two weeks? Affordability. Because, I’ve won. I’ve won affordability,” he continued. “I had to go out and talk about it, but we inherited a mess.”
Georgia is shaping up to be one of the most competitive states on the 2026 midterm map. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the state’s open gubernatorial and Senate races as toss-ups.
Trump singled out incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff (Ga.), arguably the most vulnerable Senate Democrat running for reelection, during Thursday’s rally.
“He’s a real stiff. We don’t want people like that representing Georgia,” Trump said.
The economy is a major driver of presidential job approval, which is a big predictor of success for the president’s party in midterm elections, said Emory University political science professor Andra Gillespie.
“President Trump has had an uncanny ability to be able to bend the narrative in the direction that he wants to,” Gillespie said. “And I think the big question of this year is whether or not he is still able to do that. In particular, is he going to be able to persuade voters that the economy is better than how they feel is going to be a big challenge for him.”
Trump’s visit also comes at a time of rising tensions over voting in Georgia after an FBI raid at a Fulton County elections warehouse in January. Trump has said the GOP should “nationalize” elections, and he recently boosted a story about a Georgia Republican lawmaker who is calling for the State Election Board to take over Fulton County elections. The State Election Board Thursday declined to do so but left the possibility open.
Speaking to reporters Thursday morning, Democratic Party of Georgia chairman Charlie Bailey previewed an economic populist message.
“Ever since Donald Trump’s been in office, his policies have hiked prices, the grocery bills, power bills, health care bills, and who’s made money? He’s made money,” Bailey said. “His family’s made money, his buddies and the billionaires and big corporations, they’ve made money. They’re doing real well. If you’re one of those, you’re getting off real well in Donald Trump’s economy.”
Trump invited supporters to join the stage with him, including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, whose gubernatorial run the president endorsed in August.
Trump’s praise for Jones included a jab at a new entrant in the race, wealthy health care executive Rick Jackson, whose announcement shook up the race earlier this month.
“Burt Jones, you know, all these guys are coming in now, loaded up with some money, who the hell knows how much money he’s got,” Trump said. “But Burt Jones has been here and been with you and been with me right from the beginning. He’s been with me for so long, right from literally the first day.”
Trump also invited Republican Congressman Mike Collins to the stage along with sitting Republican U.S. Reps. Barry Loudermilk and Brian Jack. Collins is one of the Republicans running to face Ossoff in November, along with another Georgia Republican Congressman Buddy Carter and former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley. Trump has not endorsed a candidate in that race and did not do so Thursday.
Trump’s midterm endorsements largely did not pan out in 2022 for most of his favored Georgia candidates, and how Fuller fares could be a preview of how valuable the Trump seal of approval could be in November.
“This is going to be a test of sort of the strength of a Trump endorsement,” Gillespie said. “In other races that, admittedly, are not special elections, President Trump has usually waited a little bit longer to make an endorsement. He didn’t have that luxury of time in this particular election to watch the polls and be able to sort of get a sense of who was in the lead.”
The results of that election may help reveal which faction of Republicanism represents the future in Georgia, Gillespie said.
“The big question will be, does the MAGA wing of the Georgia Republican party align with the Trump-endorsed candidate? Or does Colton Moore in particular have enough of a base and enough of a following that he might be able to attract a sizable portion of the electorate just on the strength of his own personality?”
The Georgia State Election Board will not take over Fulton County elections, according to the AJC.
Republicans didn’t shy away from the idea. In fact, state Sen. Greg Dolezal, who is running for lieutenant governor, urged the board to do so. President Donald Trump even amplified the idea in a Truth Social post.
“It’s just not something that we’re looking to do without all the information,” State Election Board Member Janelle King told reporters. “When the FBI and the DOJ finish their investigation, that will give us a lot more information.”
Instead, the board voted Thursday to ask Fulton County officials to preserve the 2020 election documents, if or when the county retrieves them from the Trump administration.
Chair John Fervier, a Gov. Brian Kemp appointee, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution there is no justification for a state takeover based on 2020, saying Fulton “has made dramatic improvements since then, as evidenced by the 2022, 2024 and many other elections.”
The board also subpoenaed Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to attend its next meeting to explain what happened in a complaint accusing some people of possibly double voting in the county.
A new poll shows Republican Rick Jackson leading the party primary for Governor, according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.
Political newcomer Rick Jackson has opened a sizeable lead over the man who may have been the prohibitive favorite to become Georgia’s 84th chief executive only a few weeks ago.
On Thursday, Quantus Insights released a poll showing Jackson with a 33% lead over Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the state’s wide-open governor’s race this fall.
But the poll — conducted Feb. 17-18 among 1,337 likely voters and with a 3% margin of error — shows 37% of respondents, or 4 in 10, are still shopping.
“In practical terms, [Jackson] begins the campaign already within five points of the undecided vote and roughly two-to-one over Jones, the next closest contender at 16%,” the polling firm said in its analysis.
“That doesn’t guarantee durability,” it continued. “Early leads can be a function of novelty, name recognition, or a temporary ‘first look’ bump. But it does establish Jackson as a top-tier contender immediately, and it ensures that the race will now be defined in part by whether Jones and the rest of the field can consolidate the large undecided pool.”
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (8%), Attorney General Chris Carr (5%) and Clark Dean (0.3%) round out the field.
I think the wording of that piece is a little awkward. I wouldn’t say Rick Jackson holds “a 33% lead” over LG Burt Jones. In the poll, Jackson had 33% and Jones had 16%. That’s a 17-point lead.
State House Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones (R-Milton) announced she will not run for reelection to her House seat, according to the Capitol Beat News Service.
A fixture in the leadership of Georgia’s House of Representatives will step down when her term ends this year, declining to run for re-election after nearly a quarter century in office.
Rep. Jan Jones, R-Milton was first elected to the House in 2002. In 2010, her fellow representatives voted to make her the speaker pro-tempore then re-elected her to that post every term after. It made her second in command and the most powerful woman in a legislative body that has 180 members when all seats are occupied.
House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, said he and his wife count Jones as a friend, and he described her as an accomplished leader.
“Jan’s 16-year tenure in House leadership reflects the abiding faith and admiration her colleagues have for her,” Burns said in a statement Thursday. “She will close her career in the General Assembly with a long record of accomplishments but also a long list of great friends, including me and Dayle.”
Jones served as speaker pro tem under both Burns and former Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, who died in 2022. She served briefly as speaker after his death, until the House selected Burns for that role in 2023.
Jones developed a reputation as a detail-oriented tactician who could get key bills passed into law. She said in a statement that she will miss her colleagues and the work, adding that she was “incredibly proud” of educational policies enacted during her tenure.
Under Gov. Brian Kemp, the General Assembly restored recessionary cutbacks to public school funding and raised teacher pay. Jones also led on expanded access to pre-kindergarten, bolstering charter schools and putting more tax dollars into private school education.
Jones shepherded Senate Bill 233, The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, through the House in 2024. It established $6,500 a year in direct state funding for each K-12 student who switches from a low-performing public school to a private school or home school.
The measure established what is commonly known as a voucher program. It faced concerted opposition from public school advocates who were concerned about the shift of state funding from public to private education.
It was so controversial that it failed on the House floor in 2023, when some Republicans allied with the vast majority of Democrats who opposed it. But Jones rallied and got the measured passed in a close vote the next year.
Jones was known as an advocate for “parent choice” in education, a position that she said had been good for the economy and would inform her legacy.
“Conservative leadership has given Georgia the best business climate in the country,” she said, “and these investments in our workforce will keep us at the top for years to come.”
“I will miss the rewarding work, the ability to help constituents, and of course, the many colleagues who’ve become dear friends since my first election in 2002,” Jones said in a statement.
House Republicans first elected Jones as speaker pro tem in 2010, and she has been reelected to the position in every term since. In addition to being the first female House Speaker, she is also the first woman to be speaker pro tem and GOP majority whip.
“The best part of winning it is the next time it won’t be a big deal. The third time, no one will even notice — and that’s what you hope for all girls, whether it’s racial or gender, that people are selected based on what they bring to the table,” Jones told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution after her first leadership election.
Jones has used her position to advocate for needs of women in the state. Two years ago, she sponsored a measure to double the amount of paid parental leave for state workers to six weeks. This year, she has pushed to increase paid leave again and allocate more funding for after-school programs.
Her district, House District 48, covers parts of north Fulton County, including Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, as well as southeastern Cherokee County. She easily won reelection in 2024, with nearly 62% of the vote, despite the district becoming more competitive.
Kaleb McMichen, who previously served as the deputy chief of staff for Ralston, said Jones is a steadfast leader.
“Her brief tenure as Georgia’s 74th Speaker of the House (and the first lady to grace that august office) will fittingly keep her part of Georgia’s history forever,” he said in a post on X.
A small-business owner, Jones attended the University of Georgia and received a graduate degree in finance from Georgia State University. She and her husband, Kalin, have four children together and several grandchildren.
State income tax relief legislation could cost Georgians, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Tifton Gazette.
Republican senators are pitching giant income tax cuts to make Georgia more affordable, a plan that Democrats warn could lead to fewer government services or sales tax hikes.
The income tax relief proposal, which passed the state Senate last week, would exempt the first $50,000 of annual earnings by an individual and $100,000 for a married couple while lowering the income tax rate.
To fund such sweeping tax cuts, the Senate’s Republican majority is seeking to end tax breaks for new data centers and other business interests. But eliminating those tax breaks would save less than $3 billion a year, and the income tax overhaul would cost the state government $6 billion.
Another Republican-sponsored bill would slash the state’s income tax rate, from 5.19% to 3.99% by 2028, adding another $3 billion to the loss of government revenue.
If sales tax rates rise or the government scales back public spending, residents will pay the price, said Danny Kanso, a budget analyst for the liberal-leaning Georgia Budget & Policy Institute.
“The working class and middle-class folks might get hit twice — they might see their taxes going up and they might lose services,” Kanso said. “There are a lot of losers, and there might be very few winners.”
Republican supporters of the tax cuts dismiss those concerns, saying the middle class needs relief from rising prices.
The total amount of Georgia’s annual tax breaks for businesses is $30 billion, a ready funding source to reduce income taxes paid by residents, said state Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, during a Senate debate last week.
“Are we going to vote to allow corporate welfare and corporate subsidies at the expense of families who are trying to pay for gas, groceries, and child care?” Tillery asked. “Or are we going to comb back those credits … and eliminate that tax burden on those hard-working families?”
State Sen. Elena Parent, D-Decatur, called the income tax cut bills a “scam” and a “fairy tale.”
She said she’s worried that Republicans will try to make up for the revenue loss by raising sales taxes, cutting public services or shutting down public universities.
“It is complete magical thinking,” Parent said of the income tax cut bills during a Senate speech. “It’s about delivering a headline without telling you what happens next when politicians promise you something for nothing. It’s usually you who will end up paying.”
So far, the income tax bills don’t seek those kinds of sales tax increases or government downsizing.
The proposals would be partially funded by eliminating a series of tax breaks for data centers, rent-controlled apartments, insurance companies, business headquarters, banks, crab fishermen, electric vehicle chargers, telecommunications facilities, and boat repairers, among others.
The fate of the income tax plans is in flux now that they’re in the hands of the state House, which could amend Senate Bills 476 and 477, or move forward with its own ideas.
House leaders are promoting a different way of trimming residents’ tax burden: They want to eliminate property taxes on a homeowner’s primary property, replacing them with different kinds of taxes for services such as schools, police and fire departments.
“If you don’t decrease your cost of government, then all you’re doing is shifting around the burden of paying for government,” said Clint Mueller, deputy director of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, which advocates for county governments. “If you take it off one type of taxpayer, it has to be paid by a different type of taxpayer.”
Senate Bill 463 by State Senator Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) aims to limit corporate ownership of rental housing, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.
Georgia lawmakers are again targeting corporate landlords in a bid to address housing costs during an election year when voters are concerned about affordability.
“I have a grave fear that we are becoming a nation of renters and not homeowners,” said Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, who is running for lieutenant governor.
Regular home buyers do not have the deep pockets to compete with institutional investors when trying to buy a home, he said. His solution is Senate Bill 463, which would cap corporate ownership at 500 single-family rental homes.
A Senate committee passed his measure Tuesday despite industry opposition.
SB 463 would allow tenants and other aggrieved parties to sue if they found that a corporation was in violation of the ownership limit. Dolezal said that would skirt constitutional challenges against state overreach with direct enforcement.
But Austin Hackney, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Georgia, still questioned whether that would pass legal muster.
The use of lawsuits rather than state enforcement is “walking a constitutional tightrope” rarely seen in legislation, Hackney said, adding it “is a strong indicator that that the right to private property is on the chopping block here.”
A critic representing Realtors said they oppose the bill because it would affect “mom and pop” Georgia landlords who had amassed “generational wealth” through real estate.
Current owners of more than 500 homes would be held harmless by the legislation.
The bill also targets foreign owners because, Dolezal said, “we are trying to prevent foreign entities from buying American homes that we believe should be for American families to own.”
The measure now moves to the full Senate. The House already has similar legislation.
House Bill 555 sought to limit companies from having an ownership interest in more than 2,000 single-family residences or 10 multifamily residences in Georgia. A House committee approved it last March despite constitutional concerns. It has not had another hearing.
The issue has become bipartisan.
Lawmakers passed a more limited measure into law last year that was led by a Democrat. House Bill 399, by Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, required out-of-state investors, such as hedge funds, to have a local broker and property manager for their Georgia rental properties.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat who is fending off a Republican challenge for his seat, launched a public inquiry last spring into the way corporate landlords treat tenants.
House Bill 1344 by State Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth) seeks to reduce insurance prices, according to Atlanta News First via WTVM.
Members of the House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee said they traveled extensively across the state, engaging with key stakeholders, including policy experts from Georgia State University and the University of Georgia, to continue crafting legislation to tackle affordability and accountability in insurance.
State lawmakers look to build on insurance reform momentum, beginning with the Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act, known as House Bill 1344.
It is one of the four discussed today at the State Capitol that lawmakers hope will make its way to the governor’s desk.
It calls for increasing fines in Georgia’s insurance code, addressing timely claims processing following storms, and enhancing oversight and transparency by expanding the insurance commissioner’s enforcement authority.
“My hope is that our fines are significant enough to cause pain in insurance companies in continuing this behavior,” Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King said.
Commissioner King recently announced $25 million in fines against insurers for establishing barriers to accessing mental health care, violating the state’s mental health parity act.
And now, newly proposed laws would expand his ability to hold insurers accountable not just through fines, but also by examining rates.
“To examine all available evidence when reviewing rates,” Republican state Rep. Matt Reeves said. “If companies have not treated citizens right, that will be considered when they file their rates. If they have processed their claims, kept a clean record, and cut their rates in the past, that will be considered.”
With the current proposals, they hope to build on last year’s tort reform measures, which were signed into law to curb lawsuit abuse.
Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute provided a statement saying, “Georgia ranks 47th in personal auto affordability, according to the Insurance Research Council, so strong legislative actions were necessary to generate reduced rates. Legal system abuse costs every Georgian $1,544 per year in a ‘tort tax.’”
Speaker Jon Burns also said that recent efforts helped reduce rates, including on the road, where 10 insurers have announced rate cuts, saving Georgia millions.
“I feel very confident that no state does more to drive down the cost of living, address affordability, and stabilize insurance rates like Georgia is doing right now,” Speaker Burns said.
Democratic candidate for Congress Shawn Harris says he’s wearing a bulletproof vest due to threats, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Shawn Harris, a retired Brigadier General and cattle rancher in northwest Georgia, ran against [former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor] Greene in 2024, taking home more than 30% of the vote. His race was one of the most successful by a Democrat in recent memory.
“Marjorie Taylor Greene was dealing with threats. I’m already dealing with the threats right now,” Harris told USA Today in an interview on Thursday, ahead of the president’s visit to Rome, Georgia.
Harris said when he goes out to campaign events, he’s wearing a bulletproof vest.
“We get those threats because people know that we got the potential to win this thing,” Harris said. “We will not let people tell us to stop or scare us or anything. What I say to everybody, because they know I have to wear it now, is courage is contagious. As you see me come out and do the things that I do, only thing I need you to do is go and vote.”
“I’m not going to say we’re going to win this thing on the 10th, but we got a good chance, and we’ll definitely be in the runoff, and we are then on April 7 going to shock the world,” Harris said.
The Glynn County Board of Elections adopted a resolution opposing hand-counting of ballots, according to The Brunswick News.
A resolution has been drafted by the Glynn County Board of Elections and Registration opposing proposed legislation requiring the hand tabulation of ballots as official returns.
The board voted on Feb. 10 to draft a resolution after discussing proposed elections changes considered by the General Assembly and agreeing some of the proposed changes would make it difficult to tabulate results in a timely manner.
Dublin Public Schools say they are making progress in addressing a budget deficit, according to 13WMAZ.
Dublin City Schools says it is making significant progress in turning around its finances after a multi-million dollar crisis that rocked the district last year.
The school system has been working through a Financial Improvement Plan with the Georgia Department of Education since last summer, when the state reported missed payments, unmonitored spending, and a growing deficit.
Since then, the district has laid off more than three dozen employees, cut school days, and implemented several financial reforms.
Board member James Lanier says the problems had been building for some time.“I’ve been unhappy with the direction of the finances for a while,” Lanier said.
He says some of the issues stemmed from board members receiving inaccurate financial information.
“There were some decisions made based on false information, and we had to get all that cleaned up and get it back in order,” Lanier said.
Board Chairwoman Mandy Smith, who spoke with 13WMAZ last month, says the crisis caught even those closest to the district off guard. But she says looking back is not the focus.
Four members of the Monroe County Commission voted to censure another Commissioner, according to 13WMAZ.
The Monroe County Commission says they censured one of their members this week for inappropriate comments, which included asking a county employee about renting a gazebo for a “lynching” and suggesting Henry County had “turned black.”
The commission says they voted Tuesday to censure Commissioner John Ambrose. The commission’s other four members voted unanimously for the censure — an official statement from a government body condemning certain conduct.
After an outside investigation, the commission said Commissioner John Ambrose made two comments that were “patently offensive” and demeaning toward Black people. They said the comments were made to county employees.
According to the resolution, the law firm Jarrad & Davis investigated the complaints against Ambrose.
In Fall 2025, the investigation found “credible evidence” that Ambrose called the Monroe County Conference center asking to rent out a conference room and a gazebo in front of the building.
According to the resolution, he asked the employee to allow him “to carry out a public hanging or “lynching’ at the Gazebo…. [and] the first person to be hanged would be former Commissioner Larry Evans, an African American.”
The resolution described the statements as “patently offensive and demeaning to African Americans, are contrary to good public service, and serve no legitimate purpose in the workplace.”
Then, in Jan. 6, the investigation says Ambrose visited the office of county manager Lorri Robinson, who was introducing him to the new finance director Angie Sorrow.
When the county manager told Ambrose that Sorrow used to work in Henry County, they say Ambrose said, “Henry County has turned,” pointing to Ms. Robinson black jacket sleeve.
They say this suggested that Henry County had “tuned black,” a reference to its increase in Black population in recent years.
Ambrose then reportedly told the city manager and finance director, “I don’t have anything against them, we should all own one or two.”
“Both Ms. Robinson and Ms. Sorrow reasonably believed that Commissioner Ambrose was advocating for slavery and suggesting, perhaps in jest, that everyone should own one or two African Americans,” the resolution said.
The resolution comes after the commission moved unanimously to withdraw an ethics complaint filed by the four commissioners last month. Chairman Alan Gibbs says that an ethics hearing would have cost additional legal fees while not likely leading to any further punishment.
“I don’t appreciate those comments going out to people,” Gibbs said. “We have to respect people’s values and who they are in the world. So that’s why I agreed to this censure.”
According to a county statement about this week’s meeting, Ambrose argued his comments were “taken out of context” and he never got to “face his accusers.” He called the censure “political assassination” ahead of this year’s county election.
The Columbus Airport Commission appointed two new members and lost a third to resignation, according to WTVM.
Commission Chairwoman Delois Dee Marsh acknowledged the resignations of commissioners James Barker and Philip Badcock, then nominated Kevin Howard and Austin Gower to fill those vacancies. During the meeting, Commissioner Dannell Mastrean also submitted her resignation.
Mastrean, who served four years on the voluntary, unpaid commission, said she was concerned about the timing of the resignations and the appointment process.
“It is concerning to me that we will be adding additional members to this commission that will all be in block and not separated by time because it allows you to have new voices coming in over time,” Mastrean said during the meeting.
She said the resignations “all happened in the last two months” and expressed concern about “an effort to remove the existing members of the commission and replace them with business leaders.”
Marsh said the new commissioners would fill the remaining terms of the departing members.
“Whatever commissioner has vacated a seat, whatever their remaining term is, the new commissioner coming into that seat will fill that remaining term which continues the integrity and continuity of board service,” Marsh said.
Candidate qualifying begins in March for local elections, according to The Brunswick News.
Qualifying for candidates seeking county commission, school board and joint water and sewer commission posts will begin in early March.
Three Glynn County Commission seats will be contested. The incumbents, all Republican, are Bo Clark, at-large Post 1; Chairman Wayne Neal, District 3; and David Sweat, District 4. The fee to qualify is $780.
Simi Barnes announced she will run for Columbus City Council Distrct 1, according to WTVM.
Simi Barnes, daughter of the late Pop Barnes, announced her campaign kickoff for the District One seat in Columbus. According to a release sent out Thursday, she intends to run for a city council seat covering District One, which includes parts of central Columbus from the north side of Milgen Road to the south side of Saint Mary’s Road. From east to west that’s Buena Vista Road and Macon Road.
Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson is expected to announce he will run for reelection, according to WRDW.
Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson is planning to announce his re-election campaign Friday evening.
The announcement will take place at the monthly Food Truck Family Friday, 4104 Windsor Spring Road, at 5 p.m.
Johnson launched Food Truck Family Fridays in 2022 during his initial campaign for mayor as a way to bring families together, support local entrepreneurs and reinvest in Augusta.
Johnson was sworn in January 2023.
“This city that I love so much, where I was born and raised. The son of a school bus driver, who grew up in all of the challenges of crime and poverty,” he said.
In June 2022, Johnson won a runoff election against opponent Steven Kendrick.
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