Jon Ossoff

ATLANTA — Georgia farmers have had a rough go for the past few years. They were just recovering from 2018′s Hurricane Michael when Hurricane Helene hit in September, damaging thousands of acres of crops throughout the state. That’s on top of financial devastation left in the storm’s path, which can severely stress their mental health. “Fertilizer, fuel, labor, anything that’s farm related — ...

First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland.

Voters in parts of Clinton, Jackson, and Scott counties will vote in a special election for their state senator on Jan. 28, 2025.

Donald Trump is suggesting that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal.

Speaking to Iowa reporters Wednesday by conference call, Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said he is not telling candidates in advance whether he will support their nominations.

President-elect Donald Trump, who has long mocked “haters and losers,” seems to have no issue with filling his incoming administration with them. More than a dozen of his appointees ran for political office at least once and were often soundly rejected by voters. Late Tuesday, Trump announced his nomination of Herschel Walker to be the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, turning to a longtime ally and former National Football League star for the role. Walker first gained national political attention in 2022, when he tried and failed to unseat Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia. Georgia, in particular, seems to be a ripe hunting ground for finding political losers. In addition to Walker, Trump tapped former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (who was unseated by Warnock in 2021) to run the Small Business Administration. And former Sen. David Purdue (who lost his seat to Sen. Jon Ossoff that same year) was nominated to be ambassador to China under Trump’s incoming administration. In some instances, the president-elect even turned to Georgians who were rejected by their own party’s voters. In November, for instance, he asked former Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, who tried and failed to unseat Loeffler in the crowded 2020 Senate race, to lead the Veterans Affairs Department. (In the 2020 Senate race, Collins came in third. His defeat made it so Loeffler and Warnock ended up going head-to-head in a subsequent runoff.)Many—if not all—of these folks ran for office with Trump’s stamp of approval. Now that they lost, they seem to be receiving the ultimate consolation prize from the president-elect.Beyond those from the Peach State, Trump also selected perennial loser Kari Lake, a former local TV anchor who lost two statewide races in Arizona, to lead Voice of America. It’s unclear whether Lake will have any power here, but the MAGA politician who seemingly has a bone to pick with journalists might now be in charge of the government-funded international broadcaster. Lake is a particularly interesting addition to Trump’s administration since she’s shown her unique brand of fealty to the president-elect. She literally vacuumed the red carpet Trump was about to walk on, and told audiences on the same night that Trump has “BDE.” (Google this acronym if you’re unfamiliar with it, but be warned: This might not be safe to do at work!) Kari Lake, who has twice lost statewide races in ArizonaTrump also picked Mehmet Oz, the former heart surgeon turned TV host commonly known as Dr. Oz, for his second administration. Oz lost a 2022 Senate race in Pennsylvania, in which he had Trump’s backing, to Democrat John Fetterman by 5 percentage points. But come next year, the Republican will likely lead the hugely important agency that oversees health insurance programs for tens of millions of Americans.Other notable losers who might join the federal government next year include some who attempted to challenge Trump for the presidency or Republican nomination.Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (who was chosen to lead the Department of Health and Human Services) and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (tapped to be the next director of national intelligence) are former U.S. presidential candidates. Gabbard ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020, and Kennedy for the same nomination last year before switching to an independent bid. He later ended that bid as well and endorsed Trump.Then there’s Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a two-time loser by Trump’s standards. Not only did Rubio drop out of the 2016 presidential primary after losing his home state to Trump, but also during the throes of that year’s presidential competition, Trump not-so-affectionally referred to the senator as “Little Marco” and called him a “choker.” Now he’s not only a “Highly Respected Leader,” according to Trump; he’s also the president-elect’s pick to be the next secretary of state.Some lesser-known losers asked to fill Trump’s administration include outgoing Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina, to be deputy budget director; one-term Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, to be secretary of labor; and former Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Canada.This list is not exhaustive, and it may grow from here. In early December, Trump met with Blake Masters about leading the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Masters lost both the 2022 Senate race in Arizona as well as a Republican primary for the state’s 8th District this year.In some respects, it’s not all that unusual for a president to appoint people who haven’t been successful in electoral politics to their administration. After all, former President Barack Obama appointed Hillary Clinton to be his secretary of state after he beat her in the 2008 Democratic primary. President Joe Biden, too, made Pete Buttigieg, whom Biden faced in the 2020 Democratic primary, his secretary of transportation. But the sheer number of incoming Trump appointments who have a history of losing at the ballot box is eye-popping, particularly since they’ll now be working for a guy who claims to love winning. It’s probably not a coincidence that Trump plans to surround himself with a bunch of literal losers, though. No one will be more loyal to the president-elect than those about to fade into obscurity.Campaign Action

President-elect Donald Trump has a new game plan for Herschel Walker, naming the former football star and Republican Senate candidate as ambassador to the Bahamas.

Nunes, chief executive of Trump-owned Truth Social, was announced as the president-elect's nominee for chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board.

As Donald Trump’s Cabinet takes shape, the nominees offer a preview of how his administration might handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail.

The announcement comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position.

Trump announced Guilfoyle as his selection for ambassador to Greece.

The former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran spent much of the week trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination.

Democrats need to flip four Senate seats in 2026 to reclaim a majority, but have few clear targets.

Democratic senators are privately acknowledging that their party committed “political malpractice” by bungling the issue of border security, which they view as a driving factor behind President-elect Trump’s sweeping victory and their loss of four Senate seats. Democratic senators had a long and intense conversation about what went wrong in this year’s election during a [...]

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, the new chair of the Republican Governors Association, aims to build on the momentum of the 2024 elections and looks ahead to the next gubernatorial showdowns.

The race for key Senate contests in 2026 is already getting underway, with a few major potential candidates hinting they may join the race. Republicans won back control of the Senate in the 2024 elections in early November, picking up four seats for a 53-47 majority in the body, the largest margin for either party [...]

Without the funds, 'our ability to respond to new disasters could be jeopardized,' FEMA's Deanne Criswell says.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has been elected to lead the Republican Governors Association, a one-year position

Wednesday was the first time Congress has voted on blocking specific arms transfers to Israel, reflecting deep frustration among lawmakers with Israeli conduct in Gaza and Lebanon.

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency says money available to help communities hit by disasters has shrunk after back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton.

There are too many "unanswered questions" about Gaetz' sexual misconduct allegations to properly vet him for attorney general, the lawmakers say.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) officially rolled out his bid to run the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) on Friday, a move that would put him at the helm of the party’s midterm efforts to maintain and possibly grow its majority next cycle. Scott had been mulling a run for the post since mid-October. He is [...]

Ohio businessman Bernie Moreno spoke to Fox News Digital about his closing message to undecided voters in his race against incumbent Dem. Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Billions of dollars in ads are raining down on voters across the Rust Belt, Rocky Mountains and American southwest.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Billions of dollars in advertising are raining down on voters across the Rust Belt, Rocky Mountains and American southwest as the two major political parties portray their opponent’s candidates as extreme in a struggle for control of the U.S. Senate.

Vice President Kamala Harris has launched a new television advertisement featuring the family of Amber Thurman, the Georgia woman who died from abortion-related complications in the weeks after the state’s fetal cardiac law took effect.

Local leaders in south Georgia worry that Democrats aren't doing enough to mobilize Black voters in rural areas

Is Georgia ready to cast its 16 electoral votes for a woman for president? We put that question to three women who have lived through a few election cycles in the state.

Recent efforts to address such trading have fallen flat, but the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s vote to advance a measure gave new hope to those who support stricter rules.

‘We do, oh Nancy, listen,’ Strenger said as two security officials began to move him away

Vice President Kamala Harris will appear at a rally in Savannah Aug. 29 at the culmination of her bus trip through rural Georgia with running mate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Whether you love or hate the way the law is working out, it’s a case study in how every contest matters.

ATLANTA — A new poll released Thursday showcased the tight race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in Georgia as the fight for the battleground state heats up. The poll, commissioned by the AARP, pegged Trump at 46% and Harris at 44% — within the margin of error of 4 percentage points. About 7% of voters back a third-party candidate and another 3% are ...

Democrats say Vice President Harris is putting the key swing states of Georgia, Arizona and Nevada back in play after the party had just about lost any hope of holding onto them with President Biden on the ticket. Former President Trump was pulling away from Biden in many of these states, according to numerous polls, [...]

“I shouldn’t have to ask my opponent to condemn his biggest funders for putting out an ad like this.”The post AIPAC Used Distorted Photo of Cori Bush in $7 Million Negative Ad Blitz appeared first on The Intercept.

Vice President Kamala Harris said former President Trump would roll back hard-fought progressive reforms on health care and climate during a rally in Atlanta Tuesday — her first appearance in the swing state since President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race.Why it matters: The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee brought the state's top Democrats and Megan Thee Stallion, linked Trump to the Heritage Foundation-backed Project 2025 and called out his recent convictions and ongoing legal problems.The big picture: Atlanta is the epicenter of Georgia's Democratic and progressive movements and key to mobilizing Black women voters in what's expected to be a close race. As of Tuesday, 98 days remain until Election Day.Vibes: The diverse crowd — overwhelmingly young, women and a majority of people of color — danced, wobbled and did the wave to a soundtrack including Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake and Kool and the Gang.Zoom in: Harris told the Georgia State University Convocation Center audience the campaign "is about two very different visions for our nation: one focused on the future, the other focused on the past."Viral moment: Harris again challenged Trump to a debate. "As the saying goes," she said. "If you got something to say, say it to my face."The intrigue: Harris, who has faced scrutiny over her work on the Biden administration addressing the migrant crisis, told the crowd she'd revive a border security bill that Trump allies in the Senate spiked earlier this year.Zoom out: Roughly 14,000 supporters signed up for tickets to the event, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta) told the "Politically Georgia" podcast.The crowd was Harris' largest since launching her presidential bid, campaign officials told the AJC.State of play: Yvonne Marcus of Covington, an Atlanta suburb, told Axios Harris' entrance jolted the campaign back to life in Georgia, a state where Biden defeated Trump by 11,780 votes but now leaned in the GOP's favor.Who's who: Former Georgia Minority House Leader Stacey Abrams, Mayor Andre Dickens and U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock warmed up the crowd, along with Williams.Prominent supporters in attendance included former Mayors Keisha Lance Bottoms and Kasim Reed, Martin Luther King Jr. III and rapper Quavo.What they're saying: "Some days I feel for Republicans because they got to figure out how to run a criminal against a prosecutor," Warnock told the crowd. "Kamala Harris is getting ready to prosecute the case. The American people are the jury.""We're going to get the verdict right and we're going to send Kamala Harris back to the White House."The other side: Trump and Vance will hold a joint rally at the same location on Sat., Aug. 3.

Vice President Kamala Harris tells a cheering, boisterous, packed arena that the next few months would be a serious fight and acknowledges the Democrats were right now the underdogs — but assures the crowd they would win in November. “We...

Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns in Georgia as she seeks to keep the battleground state in play for Democrats.

Long before President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 election, Vice President Kamala Harris had established herself as the administration's leading advocate of abortion rights.Now, Democrats are hoping that will help tip the scales in November's election."We'll stop Donald Trump's extreme abortion bans because we trust women to make decisions about their own bodies and not have the government tell them what to do!" Harris, her party's presumptive nominee, thundered in front of a crowd in Milwaukee this week.Two years after Trump-appointed judges helped overturn the national right to abortion, a passionate defender of reproductive freedoms at the top of the Democratic ticket could help mobilize more progressives in a tight race expected to hinge on turnout.From investigating anti-abortion activists accused of deceptive practices as California's attorney general, to grilling conservative Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing, to becoming the first VP to visit an abortion clinic this spring, Harris's bona fides on abortion rights are unquestionable.- Better messenger -That contrasts starkly with Biden, who has often been reticent on the issue, frequently citing his Catholic upbringing as a reason for his discomfort.During this year's State of the Union address, Biden deviated from pre-written remarks, opting for terms like "reproductive freedom" or "freedom to choose" instead of "abortion."As a brand-new senator in 1973, Biden felt the Supreme Court went "too far" in deciding Roe v Wade, the ruling that established the right to terminate a pregnancy, and as recently as 2006, he described the procedure as "always a tragedy" and "not a choice and right."Though his stance has since evolved, abortion rights activists have long sensed his reluctance to fully embrace the issue."What makes Harris so dangerous to Trump on abortion specifically is that, unlike Trump, she knows what she's talking about, and she can channel the anger of women voters," feminist author Jessica Valenti, who runs "Abortion, Every Day" on Substack, told AFP."I don't think people fully understand just how angry women are about Roe being overturned -- Harris has the ability to drive that home."Polling by YouGov released this week found Harris enjoying a 12-point advantage over Trump on abortion, significantly higher than the five-point lead Biden held over Trump in early July.While she hasn't yet been formally nominated, the abortion rights group Reproductive Freedom for All was quick to throw its weight behind her."There is nobody who has fought as hard for abortion rights and access, and we are proud to endorse her in this race," the nonprofit's CEO Mini Timmaraju said.- Honeymoon period? -On the other side of the race, Trump's running mate J.D. Vance makes the divide between the two parties even clearer.Where Trump speaks from both sides of his mouth -- boasting about his role in overturning Roe to conservatives while emphasizing state rights to court independents -- Vance has unequivocally stated his desire to make abortion "illegal nationally."Valenti called Vance the "personification of Republican anti-abortion extremism" who has supported a federal abortion ban, voted against protecting IVF, and compared abortion to "slavery.""Vance's selection is definitely going to make it harder for Donald Trump to act as a moderate on this issue," Marc Trussler, a political scientist at the University of Pennsylvania told AFP.Despite Harris being an effective messenger, the renewed focus on abortion and other issues partly arises from the simple fact that the political conservation had for months been dominated by questions about Biden's mental acuity, and those are now out of the way, added Trussler.And while abortion has been a vote winner for Democrats in recent races, it's uncertain if it will be the single biggest factor in the upcoming election."We are very much in the honeymoon period of Harris's candidacy," he said, where she is still seen as "everything to everybody" and hasn't yet had to take up hard positions on contentious issues dividing the party, from Gaza to criminal justice reform.

Chair Gary Peters, D-Mich., helped broker a new version of a bill to ban lawmaker stock trading, which advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks Wednesday to a joint meeting of Congress in the Capitol. In the back are Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md.

President Biden is facing worrying signs in Georgia — the state he flipped blue for the first time in decades back in 2020 — including low primary turnout and a lack of big down-ballot races to energize his base. Biden beat former President Trump by fewer than 12,000 votes in the Peach State last cycle, [...]

President Biden is facing worrying signs in Georgia — the state he flipped blue for the first time in decades back in 2020 — including low primary turnout and a lack of big down-ballot races to energize his base. Biden beat former President Trump by fewer than 12,000 votes in the Peach State last cycle, [...]

President Biden is facing worrying signs in Georgia — the state he flipped blue for the first time in decades back in 2020 — including low primary turnout and a lack of big down-ballot races to energize his base. Biden beat former President Trump by fewer than 12,000 votes in the Peach State last cycle, [...]

President Biden is facing worrying signs in Georgia — the state he flipped blue for the first time in decades back in 2020 — including low primary turnout and a lack of big down-ballot races to energize his base. Biden beat former President Trump by fewer than 12,000 votes in the Peach State last cycle, [...]