Political Rewind: New polling a snapshot of Georgia mood on politics; Warnock outraises Walker

The Panel:

Dr. Andra Gillespie — Professor of political science and director, James Weldon Johnson for the Study of Race and Difference at Emory University

Rene Alegria — CEO, Mundo Hispanico Digital

Patricia Murphy — Politics reporter and columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Breakdown:

1. New polling is a glimpse into the political opinions of Georgia's registered voters.

• A new poll released by Quinnipiac University showed Gov. Brian Kemp with the lead over primary challenger David Perdue.
  • The poll surveyed 1702 self-described registered voters across Georgia between Jan. 19 and Jan. 24, 2022.
• Earlier this week, a poll was conducted by the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  • It surveyed 872 registered voters in Georgia and reported a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.
  • Among other things, that poll found only a third of the Georgia voters polled approved of the job President Joe Biden is doing.

2. Conservative movement to ban books and materials in Georgia schools has momentum. 

• Measures in the General Assembly aim to make it easier for parents to get involved in how classes are taught and what subjects are taught in schools.

• Another measure aims to bar the teaching of "critical race theory," which has become a stand-in term among conservatives for conversations about race and American history in education.

3. Herschel Walker's challenge to Sen. Raphael Warnock.

• Walker, a former college football player, has never served in elected office. However, his name recognition is helped by his famous sports career.
  • Other Republicans in the race, including Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black, are behind Walker in recent polling.

4. Justice Breyer announced retirement, paving way for a Biden Supreme Court appointment.

• Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who served nearly three decades on the high court, announced his retirement on Thursday.
• The announcement paves the way for President Joe Biden to make a consequential nomination to the Supreme Court.
  • Biden said he would name a nominee by the end of February, and that his pick would be a Black woman.

Tonight: Watch Political Rewind with Bill Nigut tonight at 7 p.m. on GPB-TV.