Political Breakfast With Denis Ohayer

Congress has narrowly approved President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill, with most Republicans voting in favor and every Democrat opposed. Under the law, which includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, about 300,000 Georgians could lose health coverage, tax incentives for clean energy will be cut and states like Georgia may end up having to shoulder more of the costs associated with food stamps. On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali speak with WABE Health Reporter Jess Mador and WABE Digital Editor MeiMei Xu about how Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will affect Georgia now that it’s law.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Political Breakfast: Campaign fundraising is ramping-up.  Strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam tackle the latest numbers in the 2026 Georgia Governor's race.  On the Democratic side,  Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and state Senator Jason Esteves have surpassed the 1 million mark over roughly 2 months since both entered the race.  For the GOP: Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones has loaned himself 10 million dollars while Republican Attorney General Chris Carr has raised more than 3-point-5 million since annoucing his bid in November.  Do these numbers translate into the most competitive candidates?  Plus, low voter turnout in the Democratic runoff for the Georgia Public Service Commission race. Brian and Tharon share why YOU should care.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump just signed his so-called 'big, beautiful' massive tax and spending bill over the July 4th holiday weekend.  Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam react to the latest.  Plus, Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter wrote on X on Sunday that his granddaughters are safe after attending a summer camp in Central Texas that flooded over the weekend -- but one of their cousins has died.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week’s special Independence Day encore episode of “Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast,” politics reporter Sam Gringlas takes listeners on a summer road trip to a pair of towns that helped shape former presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Georgia’s own Jimmy Carter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Political Breakfast, Republicans are mostly a united front and in support of President Donald Trump's so-called 'big, beautiful' massive tax and spending bill.  Georgia Democrats say there's nothing beautiful about it, claming the bill will strip away people's healthcare and increase poverty while creating tax breaks for the rich.  Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam react to the latest as lawmakers debate the bill in the U.S. House.  Trump says he wants to sign the bill by the July 4th holiday.  It's sweeping tax cuts are estimated to add trillions more to the national debt. It also boosts spending on border security and defense, makes massive cuts to programs like Medicaid and shifts more responsibility for food assistance to the states.  It would also slash clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act, that helped propel solar and electric vehicle manufacturing in Georgia.See omnystudio.

On today's Political Breakfast, we react to news from the AJC that Geoff Duncan may be running in the 2026 Georgia Governor's race as a Democrat.  Duncan, now an official outcast after Georgia GOP leaders expelled him from the party, has long expressed frustration with President Donald Trump and those who support his administration.  But strategists Brian Robinson, Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam wonder: Is the party willing to accept him? Or has Duncan fallen off the radar?   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A massive solar panel recycling facility called Solarcycle is coming soon to Cedartown, a small community in Northwest Georgia near the Alabama border. Solarcycle got a $64 million tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act to build a second facility that will make solar panel glass, but according to the company, the groundbreaking is on hold as Congress considers gutting the clean energy tax credits in the new federal budget. On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali look at what this could mean for Cedartown and Georgia’s flourishing industries making electric vehicles, batteries and solar panels. Plus, how the conflict between Israel and Iran is exposing divisions among Georgia Republicans and a look at the fall of the in-person campaign launch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Political Breakfast, the gang addresses the latest in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.  Israel and Iran continued to trade attacks over the weekend, with U.S. officials saying both have violated a recent cease fire.  U.S. bombs destroyed three nuclear sites in Iran, according to President Donald Trump.  Republican strategist Brian Robinson, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam bring it home to Georgia -- where one of Trump's most fierce supporters, GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, criticized the move. Plus, supporters of Georgia Republican Attorney General Chris Carr released an attack ad against his potential opponent in the 2026 gubernatorial race: Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Georgia Governor Nathan Deal drew national attention in 2016 when he vetoed a religious liberty bill that opponents said would lead to discrimination against LGBTQ people. When a similar measure passed again this year, Governor Brian Kemp quickly signed it into law. On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali discuss what’s changed over the past decade with WABE's Patrick Saunders, who has been leading WABE’s annual Beyond Pride series, which takes a close look at LGBTQ issues in Georgia. Plus, Georgia Republicans and Democrats are charting the future of their parties as state lawmakers grapple with a heated political climate following the assassination of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Political Breakfast went live this week, as Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam react to thousands flooding the streets of Atlanta for 'No Kings' protests, part of broader demonstrations across the nation. They happened the same day as a military parade in Washington for the Army's 250th Anniversary -- which also coincided with President Donald Trump's 79th birthday.  Congressional Democrats and some Republicans have slammed the roughly $45 million dollar cost of the parade.  Plus, primary elections for two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission are today. The PSC regulates utilities, including Georgia Power rate increases and how the company generates electricity. Could Democrats gain control? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Data centers are growing faster in Atlanta than anywhere else in the country. That rapid growth has left communities grappling with how these new developments will impact the environment and their neighborhoods. WABE has been taking a closer look at data centers as part of our series, “Server South.” On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali are joined by WABE and Grist Climate Reporter Emily Jones and WABE Environment Reporter Marisa Mecke to talk about data centers’ massive demand for power and water and some possible solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 On this edition of Political Breakfast, strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson along with host Lisa Rayam, respond to the immigration crackdown taking place in Los Angeles. What message is it really sending to America?   Plus, they analze an immigration raid that took place at home, inside a busy Marietta nail salon. A dozen undocumented workers were arrested. The PB team talks about how fear among the undocumented and even the documented is mounting.     Tharon, Brian and Lisa also address claims the Trump Administration has created a poisonous atmosphere that pitts "us against them".       See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  On this episode of Political Breakfast, strategists Tharon Johnson, Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam discuss a hodge-podge of political news.    What do they make of the so called breakup between Elon Musk and President Trump?  Plus, how Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger finds himself in a precarious situation after the GOP state Covention.    Plus, political fatigue--what is it exactly and what can we ALL do about it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Data centers are growing faster in Atlanta than anywhere else in the country. That rapid growth has left communities grappling with how these new developments will impact the environment and their neighborhoods.This week, “Plugged In” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali are joined by WABE Business Reporter Marlon Hyde and WABE Southside Reporter DorMiya Vance for the first of two episodes exploring WABE’s series, Server South.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week the Political Breakfast team was pleased to record the podcast in front of a live studio audience, alongside legends from Sesame Street and the Muppet Show at Atlanta's own Center for Puppetry Arts! It's home to more than 5 thousand puppets and artifacts.  Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson joined host Lisa Rayam to answer questions from some of our loyal listeners.  We discuss the most pertinent news from Washington that impacts our Georgia audience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) incumbents are on the ballot this year after a lengthy legal battle and their challengers are taking aim at the current commission’s performance. Voting in the primary is already underway. On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali speak with WABE and Grist climate reporter Emily Jones about the PSC and some of the challenges the statewide body is grappling with, like the influx of data centers, increasing energy costs and climate change.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's second serving of Political Breakfast, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is officially running to replace Governor Brian Kemp. But are Dems pleased? Bottoms tells WABE that we are "facing chaos and uncertainty and anxiety" based on the policies that are coming out of Washington and "Georgians want and need a fighter.”Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam also discuss the case of a north Georgia college student, 19-year-old Ximena Arias-Cristobal -- who is undocumented. Her life changed recently, after she was pulled over by a Dalton police officer for allegedly making an illegal turn. She was arrested, turned over to ICE and detained for more than two weeks. Turns out, dash cam video shows the officer stopped the wrong driver. The officer has resigned. But that hasn't stopped the community backlash. And some Republicans in deep-red Georgia are taking a stand against the Trump Administration's immigration crackdowns. See

On this week's live edition of Political Breakfast just after the Memorial Day holiday, strategists Brian Robinson, Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam discuss the 2026 U.S. Senate race against incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff.  Governor Brian Kemp decided not to run. He and President Donald Trump met recently in Washington earlier this month to mull-over who will face Ossoff.  In the race so far: U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, from Georgia's coast, who was the first major Republican candidate to declare. Then came state Insurance Commissioner John King.  Marjorie Taylor Greene also declined to challenge Ossoff.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old nurse and mother, was about nine weeks pregnant in February when doctors declared her brain dead after she suffered a medical emergency. Smith’s family says doctors at Emory University Hospital have been keeping her on life support because she is pregnant, citing Georgia’s restrictive abortion law. In this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali take a closer look at the case and its possible implications. Plus, a former Atlanta mayor says she’s running for governor and some Republicans say they want to eliminate the state income tax.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historic Medicaid cuts are advancing in Washington under President Donald Trump, as nearly 2 million low-income Georgians depend on the program for health insurance. That includes Georgians with disabilities and seniors, as Medicaid pays for their daily help with basic needs. The proposed federal cuts are all part of Trump's attempts to slash government spending. But Republican strategist Brian Robinson says on this week's Political Breakfast, GOP lawmakers know that would hurt some of our most vulnerable, including the base of their own party.  Robinson, host Lisa Rayam, and the Atlanta Civic Circle's Saba Long to discuss the impact in Georgia, and tough decisions that come with historic pullbacks of federal support.  Long is filling-in this week for Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.