PG A.M.: Georgia Republicans to stump for presidential candidates in Iowa

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Meanwhile, state Rep. Scott Hilton of Peachtree Corners is joining a group of Georgians fanning out across the Cedar Rapids area in eastern Iowa to encourage local Republicans to back former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s presidential bid.

Their main assignments involve visiting different caucus sites to pitch their preferred candidates on Jan. 15. But several are reporting for duty days ahead of the vote.

Some might wind up knocking on doors in rural Iowa hamlets, or assigned to dial up voters from campaign offices scattered in small-town storefronts or strip-mall parking lots. Some might even join the candidates on the campaign trail.

Going to an early state for a presidential campaign is a bucket-list item for plenty of politicos. But the question of who becomes the GOP nominee is an existential question for Republicans in Georgia, since many worry that while Trump could cruise to an early primary win, he could lose Georgia and the White House in November.

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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

DOUBLE DOWN. House Speaker Jon Burns is ratcheting up his support for legislation that would make antisemitism a hate crime after deep divides over the measure doomed it last year.

Burns said he’s hopeful that House Bill 30, which passed Burns’ chamber with bipartisan support but never reached a vote in the Senate, “is passed out of the Senate as a stand-alone bill in the first few days of the legislative session.

“Let me be clear: we will never waver in our support for the Jewish community, and will continue leading on this effort to stand strong against any and all forms of antisemitism,” said Burns. “This is simply an issue that cannot wait.”

The legislation would add antisemitism to the state’s existing hate crimes law. While legislators from both parties condemn antisemitism, the earlier measure failed among disagreements over how to define antisemitism and what kinds of criticisms of Israel are unacceptable.

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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

LISTEN UP. The “Politically Georgia” radio show team returned from a short winter’s nap Tuesday and caught up on an abnormally busy holiday political season. State House Rep. Saira Draper, D-Atlanta, joined the panel to discuss U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones’ affirmation of redrawn redistricting maps, which put Draper in the same district as one of her Democratic colleagues.

Coming up on the Wednesday show, the AJC’s Washington correspondent, Tia Mitchell, sets the stage for next week’s return of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate.

Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch “Politically Georgia” as it airs live at 10 a.m. every weekday on WABE 90.1 FM, at AJC.com and at WABE.org.

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PLUS ONE. A gun safety bill pre-filed by state Rep. Michelle Au got an unexpected vote of support this week when gun rights group GA2A came out in favor of it, in concept.

The Johns Creek Democrat’s bill, House Bill 855, would create a voluntary tax credit of up to $300 for the purchase of an eligible gun safe, gun case or other storage device for firearms.

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Jerry Henry, the executive director of GA2A, said in a statement about the bill that “GA2A supports incentives for law-abiding Georgians to acquire, maintain, and store firearms. Incentivizing good firearms practices is an approach that will work.”

However the same statement made it clear the group does not favor a second bill from Au, the Pediatric Health Safe Storage Act (HB 161). “GA2A will continue to oppose efforts to mandate unconstitutional storage practices that impose criminal or civil liability on gun owners,” Henry said.

But the note of support on Au’s tax-credit bill is another incremental win for the physician, who managed to get a subcommittee hearing for HB 161 last year. That measure, which criminalized allowing unsupervised children access to guns, never got a vote. But a Republican-led committee holding a hearing to discuss gun safety legislation was its own kind of victory for advocates.

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Credit: University of Georgia

Credit: University of Georgia

CHALLENGE ON. Conservative group True to Vote did not cross the line into voter intimidation during rounds of mass challenges of voters’ eligibility, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

The AJC’s Mark Niesse writes that U.S. District Judge Steve Jones determined there was insufficient evidence that True the Vote tried to threaten or coerce voters. But Jones did criticize True the Vote’s methods, which consisted mostly of challenging the eligibility of voters who submitted change-of-address forms with the U.S. Postal Service.

Jones’ ruling is a defeat for Fair Fight Action, the voting rights group founded by Democrat Stacey Abrams that was the lead plaintiff in the case.

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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

BACK FOR MORE. Anyone hoping they’d seen the last of Bill White, the mercurial Buckhead City mastermind who decamped last year for Mar-a-Lago in Florida, should keep hoping.

White was spotted by an eagle-eyed tipster making the rounds in the state Capitol recently. He confirmed Tuesday he has indeed been back in his old stomping grounds.

White hasn’t been seen in the Capitol since last spring, when his effort to carve a new Buckhead City out of Atlanta failed spectacularly. A close friend of former President Donald Trump, he then shuttered the Buckhead City offices, moved out of Atlanta, and vowed revenge against Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and House Speaker Jon Burns for what he said was a deliberate effort to sabotage his Buckhead City efforts.

In reality, lawmakers told us the idea to break the tony neighborhood away from Atlanta never answered enough basic governance, legal or financial questions to get off the ground.

White would not elaborate on what he was doing in the Capitol but said he’s not done pushing for a referendum to create Buckhead City. “Two things you may have noticed about me. One is I never give up. Two is I never forget who screws with me.”

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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:

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Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

SAVANNAH INAUGURATION. The last time Savannah installed new elected officials, the then-newly elected mayor, Van Johnson, gave a memorable speech about ensuring all Savannahians “have a place at the table.”

Four years later and with eight returning incumbents, including Johnson, the messaging was more practical at Tuesday’s inauguration. Fix roads and drainage. Address affordable housing. Pass an ethics ordinance.

For Johnson, the new term will be his last in city government after 16 years as an alderman and eight years as mayor. The 55-year-old Democrat is considered a potential future candidate for state or federal office.

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Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

DOG OF THE DAY. They say if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.

So meet lucky little Bear Register, the five-month-old Matlipoo puppy who has already found an early passion for chasing cows in Grady County. Bear is so devoted to his craft that he has to be on a leash near his bovine pals — to protect them, of course.

Along with cattle herding, Bear also loves his person, Laura Register, who is a retired political activist and former board chair of the Georgia Win List.

For being a Bear who chases cows, you’re our Dog of the Day!

Send us your dogs of any political persuasion and location, and cats on a cat-by-cat basis, to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us at @MurphyAJC.

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AS ALWAYS, Politically Georgia readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com, and adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com.