Scandal rocks the National Diet building ahead of midterm elections
Congressional reporter Zachary Schermele takes a deep dive into the latest scandals on Capitol Hill and how they’re shaking politics ahead of the midterm elections.
- Georgia’s gubernatorial midterm primary is a crowded field with both Republican and Democratic candidates.
- Leading Democratic candidates debated key issues and agreed in principle on repealing the six-week abortion ban and expanding Medicaid.
- Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Republican Lieutenant Governor Jeff Duncan and DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond are leading the Democratic race.
Georgia’s midterm primaries are just a month away, and the gubernatorial election ballots are crowded.
Eight Republican candidates are in the ring. The race is led by Lt. Gov. Bert Jones and surprise late entrant Rick Jackson, a health care executive. While Jones has the backing of President Trump, Jackson is gaining traction among conservatives.
There are seven names in the Democratic primary, but multiple voters in recent polls say they have not yet decided who they will support. The race is led by former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, followed by former (Republican) Lieutenant Governor Jeff Duncan and DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond.
Lance Bottoms, Duncan and Thurmond participated in a televised debate on 11Alive Wednesday, answering questions from the moderator and making their case to Blue voters.
The candidates agreed on a number of key issues, from repealing the Heartbeat Act, which would have banned abortions after six weeks, to vetoing a bill that would ban transgender athletes from playing sports, to expanding Medicaid.
Here are some of the key moments from the discussion.
Should local governments cooperate with federal immigration authorities?
Thurmond opened the debate by saying he believes in a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have lived in Georgia for long periods of time, and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement should be “reformed, if not defunded.”
Thurmond said he supports cooperation between local and federal authorities as long as ICE shows clear changes in its operations that put safety first.
Mr Duncan said it would be “irresponsible to use national resources” on such raids, as current immigration policy involves “fear and intimidation” and not actual policy change. Duncan cited the recent ICE raid on a Hyundai facility in Georgia, saying that vast state resources were spent on what amounted to “a clerical error.”
“The system works well” as it is currently used, Duncan said, citing President Trump, who said he values cooperation when it is not part of the “dictator’s” job.
Bottoms reminded voters that he closed Atlanta’s prisons to ICE when he was mayor, and said everyone needs to “take a fresh look” at interagency coordination in President Trump’s America. She said she supported “responsible and lawful cooperation.”
When asked what he meant by “legal,” Bottoms said, “We have seen ICE misbehave, infiltrate communities without consideration for how they are detaining people, and put citizens and law enforcement at risk.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security increased ICE’s presence in Georgia by purchasing two warehouses to be used as detention facilities. A 10,000-bed facility was to be built at Social Circle, but plans have now been paused under new leadership from Commissioner Markwayne Mullin.
City officials have fiercely opposed the expansion, even cutting off water to the site until DHS can share a clear plan for the facility’s infrastructure needs.
How do we increase access to health care in rural areas?
Nine local hospitals in Georgia are scheduled to close, leaving thousands of people without access to medical care, the hosts said.
“I know what it’s like to grow up in rural Georgia, and I feel like people in big cities ignore or don’t really care about my family and the problems we might face,” Thurmond began her answer.
He said he would expand Medicaid, which Republicans have previously blocked.
Duncan said MAGA Republicans, including gubernatorial candidates, are making it impossible for local hospitals to stay open, citing his previous work on tax credits for local hospitals.
He also said he was “behind enemy lines” on health care issues, but realized the only path forward was to expand Medicaid. Duncan said investments in technology will help improve Georgia’s infant and maternal mortality rates and bring health care to rural areas.
Bottoms said the state of health care in Georgia is “shameful,” despite being home to the Georgia Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bottoms also supports expanding Medicaid and expanding public and mobile clinics to help fill gaps in rural areas that have lost hospitals.
Bottoms also said he would work to expand incentives to attract doctors to rural areas, noting that in some parts of the state the availability of doctors is a “life-and-death issue.”
As of 2024, 2.21 million Georgians will be enrolled in Medicaid, or about 20% of the population. It is one of Georgia’s largest health insurers, and most of its Medicaid enrollees are children. Medicaid-related costs have increased in recent years due to the addition of work requirement programs and policy changes.
candidate responds to criticism
Each candidate was asked to address the criticisms they faced.
Thurmond, a 40-year veteran of politics, said arguments for a new generation of political leaders ignore his record and that Georgians won’t ask his age when Medicaid is expanded.
Bottoms referenced the fact that he chose not to run for a second term as Atlanta mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she made the right decision for herself and her family at the time and was able to work to defend her home state in the Biden administration. She said she is proud of her job as mayor.
Mr. Duncan was asked about his long career as a conservative Republican, including serving as Republican lieutenant governor during Gov. Kemp’s first term before switching to the Democratic Party. Duncan said he has been on an ideological “journey” since his time in the state Legislature and has “moral clarity” on issues like heartbeat bills and gun safety laws. Duncan said he would have remained a Republican if his only mission was to become governor, but that he ultimately became “embarrassed” to associate with conservative ideas.
Do you support banning new data centers?
Georgia could become an “infrastructure powerhouse” for U.S. data center expansion, according to a previous report by USA TODAY. But many other states are concerned about the impact these centers will have.
Mr Duncan said he would ask council to leave that decision up to local communities, as some communities want to host the centre, while others are opposed. He also said it could help remove infrastructure costs from consumers and make data centers more efficient, such as with closed-loop water systems. A special use permit could be granted by the state, he said.
Bottoms said he believes the state has moved “too quickly with data centers” and that residents are concerned about rising utility bills, even though they generally support new centers. Bottoms supports a moratorium on new development to better assess how the state can manage data center construction. She supports a complete moratorium on them until more stakeholders and experts come to the table.
Thurmond said he respects local communities and their wishes for data centers, but said the governor has a clear role. He will ensure that data incentives are beneficial to ratepayers and that infrastructure costs are borne by businesses, not the state.
How can I watch the entire debate?
The debate was hosted by 11Alive in Atlanta, but also aired on television stations across the state and online.
You can find it online at 11Alive or on the websites and apps of WATL (NBC, Atlanta), WMAZ (CBS, Macon), WJBF (ABC, Augusta), WRBL (CBS, Columbus), and WSAV (NBC, Savannah).
Eileen Wright is an Atlanta Connect reporter for USA Today’s Deep South Connect team, covering the Georgia gubernatorial race. X Find her at @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
