Political Rewind: New gun laws; Daniel Defense called to testify; Georgia's place in primaries

Caption

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath speaks at a podium in 2018.

Credit: Stephen Fowler / GPB News

The panel

Edward Lindsey, @edlindsey14, former state representative

Patricia Murphy, @MurphyAJC, political columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Shirley Franklin, @ATLShirley, former mayor of Atlanta

The breakdown

1. The White House is holding a celebration to commemorate the passage of new gun laws, the first legislation passed in decades.

• The legislation incentivizes states to implement "red flag" laws, expands background checks on buyers aged 18 to 21, and attempts to close loopholes for domestic abusers.
• 6th District Rep. Lucy McBath is expected to attend. Her son was shot and killed in 2012 and she has since pushed for new gun legislation. 
• Gun safety advocates are continuing to push for additional legislation, but polling hints at difficulty securing popular support.

2. A House committee has signaled it wants to speak to Marty Daniel, owner of gun company Daniel Defense.

• Daniel Defense manufactured rifles used in the Uvalde and Las Vegas shootings. The company has come under scrutiny for its advertising campaigns, including an Instagram post featuring a child holding a firearm in the days before the Uvalde shooting.

3. With primaries approaching, Georgia Democrats push for an earlier primary to show the state's growing political importance.

• Historically, presidential candidates have given little attention to Georgia. However, the push for an early primary comes after an unexpected flip in the 2020 elections.
• An early Georgia primary could come at the cost of South Carolina's early primary, where U.S. Rep. James Clyburn could oppose the switch. However, Georgia advocates point to Georgia's growing diversity and political relevance.

Tuesday on Political Rewind: The AJC's Tia Mitchell joins the panel.