by Ty Tagami | Jul 24, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA — The field in the next election for U.S. Senate in Georgia just shrank.
John King, one of the two Republicans who declared his candidacy to unseat Democratic incumbent John Ossoff next year, has suspended his campaign.
“Right now it’s clear there’s little path forward to the nomination,” King said on social media site X Thursday.
The retired major general in the U.S. Army National Guard and former police chief was the first GOP official elected statewide to join the race. Elected Georgia’s insurance and safety fire commissioner three years ago, King announced in May that he would challenge U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter of St. Simons in the Senate GOP primary.
Carter had jumped into the race days after Gov. Brian Kemp announced he would not be running against Ossoff, opening the Republican primary.
The names of other potential GOP candidates have been tossed around, but so far no one else has stepped up to challenge Carter.
King was already behind on campaign fundraising. He and Carter reported gathering a similar amount from donors in their April through June federal filings, but Carter loaned his own campaign another couple million dollars, putting him well ahead of King.
Neither could match Ossoff’s fundraising prowess. The Democrat collected more than $10 million during that same period, ending the second quarter with over $15 million.
More Republicans could jump in, including college and pro football coach Derek Dooley. The son of legendary Bulldogs coach Vince Dooley is rumored to be favored by Kemp.
King, meanwhile, will run for re-election to his state post.
by Dave Williams | Jul 24, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – The state Senate is about to begin laying the groundwork for making Georgia the 10th state with no income tax.
Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, who chairs the budget-writing Senate Appropriations Committee, announced plans Thursday for a series of hearings a newly created committee will hold later this summer and fall to pave the way for him to introduce legislation during the 2026 General Assembly session to eliminate Georgia’s income tax.
“This is about competitiveness, economic freedom, and letting hardworking Georgians keep their money in their pockets,” Tillery said during a news conference inside the state Capitol.
Tillery will chair the new Senate Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax, which will include eight Republican senators and three Democrats. The panel is being formed by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, the Senate’s presiding officer, who has pledged to make getting rid of the state income tax a key platform plank as he seeks the GOP nomination for governor next year.
Georgia Republicans have long made reducing the tax a major priority but have stopped short of abolishing it altogether. This year, the legislature’s Republican majorities passed a bill backed by GOP Gov. Brian Kemp that cut the income tax rate from 5.39% to 5.19% retroactive to the beginning of the current tax year.
Various proposals to repeal the tax that have sounded good on the campaign trail have prompted concerns over how to replace the lost tax revenue. States that don’t have an income tax have tended to offset that revenue with higher sales taxes.
Tillery said the nine states currently doing without an income tax have not suffered the financial catastrophe detractors have predicted. While the list mostly includes Republican-led states like Texas, Tennessee, and Florida, the Democratic-controlled states of New Hampshire and Washington also have done away with their state income taxes.
Tillery said he’s not entering the committee process with preconceived ideas of how to replace the revenue Georgia would lose by abolishing the state income tax. He said he wants to hear from Jones, fellow committee members, and from representatives of the nine states without an income tax.
“We’ve got plenty of ideas to choose from,” he said.
The committee will have until Dec. 15 to report its findings and recommendations to the full Senate.
by Dave Williams | Jul 24, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – A leading food company will build a plant to produce prepared foods in Northwest Georgia, a $400 million investment expected to create more than 630 jobs when at full capacity, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday.
The new Pilgrim’s plant will be located in Walker County, with hiring expected to begin in 2027.
“Georgia’s No.-1 industry of agriculture continues to drive growth with companies like Pilgrim’s creating quality jobs in communities like LaFayette,” Kemp said. “As our state’s economy continues to advance, we are excited to see these continued innovations and the opportunities they will bring for hardworking Georgians.”
Pilgrim’s already has a strong presence in Georgia. The company currently operates seven food production plants supporting an estimated 7,500 jobs in addition to supporting facilities like feed mills and hatcheries.
“Expanding the Pilgrim’s footprint in Georgia highlights our ongoing commitment to the region and our company’s long-term growth strategy,” Pilgrim’s CEO Fabio Sandri said Thursday. “This significant investment will allow further growth of our prepared foods business.”
The new plant will produce a variety of fully cooked chicken products. Interested individuals can learn more about the company and how to apply for jobs by clicking on jobs.pilgrims.com.
The state Department of Economic Development’s Global Commerce team worked the project in partnership with the Walker County Development Authority and the Technical College System of Georgia’s Quick Start program.
by Dave Williams | Jul 24, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Nursing students graduating with an associate’s degree from Georgia technical colleges will be allowed to transfer directly into participating four-year public colleges and universities under an agreement between the technical college and university systems.
Transferring students will be able to work toward the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing without any interruption or loss of credit.
“Georgia’s success as the No.-1 state for business depends on a strong pipeline of talent, especially in critical fields like health care,” Gov. Brian Kemp said Wednesday.
“This agreement between TCSG (the Technical College System of Georgia) and USG (the University System of Georgia) is a perfect example of how our state is working together to expand opportunities for students, strengthen our workforce, and ensure that every Georgian has the opportunity to succeed.”
The agreement stems from House Bill 192, the Top State for Talent Act, which the General Assembly passed overwhelmingly this year. The legislation requires the Georgia Department of Education to align its curriculum with the state’s high-demand career list.
Georgia’s nursing workforce was hit particularly hard by the pandemic, with many nurses choosing to leave the profession by retiring or seeking other jobs. The technical college and university systems have struggled to produce enough nursing graduates to address that workforce shortage.
“Georgia’s growing population means a greater demand for health care,” university system Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. “This partnership helps meet it by preparing more nurses, especially in rural and underserved areas. As we align programs, we’re making it easier for students to grow their skills.”
The agreement is part of a broader strategy by the technical college and university systems to help students pursuing careers in health care.
by Ty Tagami | Jul 24, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA — Federal dollars that Georgia has been counting on to cover afterschool program costs have been disbursed.
The administration of President Donald Trump was expected to release funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program July 1 but withheld it until this week.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods had been calling on the federal government to release the money since early July.
“I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility, which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies, but also means being responsible – releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump,” Woods said July 7. He repeated that message last Friday upon hearing reports that the money would be released Monday.
Monday came and went, but the Georgia Department of Education said it had not yet received the money.
Finally on Wednesday, the agency confirmed receipt of its $40.6 million share.
Nationally, the program serves about 1.4 million youths through state education grants that are in turn paid for with about $1.4 billion from the federal government, according to the Afterschool Alliance.
It is the largest single funding source for a program that provides afterschool learning for more than 27,000 youths in at least 230 Georgia communities, according to the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network. The organization attributed the administration’s decision to release the funds to a collective effort by parents, program leaders, youth advocates, “community champions” and bipartisan efforts by lawmakers.
“Working parents in particular are breathing an enormous sigh of relief,” the group added.
Last Friday, while still awaiting the funds, Woods underscored how important that money is.
“With a new school year about to begin,” he said, “it’s critical that all approved funds are made available to ensure students start strong and educators have the support they need.”
