Georgia Today: Kemp won't run for Senate; Ga. Democrats elect new leader; Proposed Medicaid cuts

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Gov. Brian Kemp says he won't run for Senate next year. The Georgia Democratic Party elects a new leader. And proposed cuts to Medicaid could hurt children with asthma.

Dr. Christy Sadreameli: Many, many children — both healthy children and children who have diseases, chronic diseases like asthma — do rely on Medicaid.

Peter Biello: Today is Monday, May 5. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today.

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Gov. Brian Kemp says he will not run for Senate next year. In an announcement on X, Kemp said that after discussing with friends, supporters and leaders across the country, he decided being on the ballot next year is, quote, "not the right decision for me and my family." He said he spoke with President Trump and Senate leadership earlier today and said he would work alongside them to ensure Republicans have a strong nominee. Incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff is running for reelection. Kemp, who is term-limited as governor, was widely considered to be strong competition for Ossoff in a midterm election year, when the major party opposing that of the incumbent president tends to do well.

Story 2:

Peter Biello: The fallout from a fatal March shooting of a gay man in Savannah has some members of the city's LGBTQ community questioning the city commitment to keeping it safe. 29-Year-old Chris Allen Villegas-Fentress was fatally shot two days before St. Patrick's Day. Michael Bell of the Savannah Pride Center says the killing should be investigated as a hate crime.

Michael Bell: When the shooter has a history of anti-gay messages that they've posted on their social media, when the victim is visibly identifiably part of our community and anti-gay slurs were thrown, absolutely it's time for an investigation.

Peter Biello: But the Savannah Police Department says there's no evidence the killing meets that criteria. In response to an open records request, the agency provided GPB with a one-sentence report acknowledging police responded to the crime.

Caption

Senator Raphael Warnock

Story 3:

Peter Biello: Georgia U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock faced tough questions and condemned the Trump administration in a town hall near Atlanta last night. GPB's Sarah Kallis reports.

Sarah Kallis: Warnock answered questions for two hours from some of the hundreds of people at Zion Hill Baptist Church. Constituents asked him what he is doing to challenge the Trump administration's budget cuts, tariffs and foreign policy.

Raphael Warnock: And here I am doing everything I can with the tools I have. But those tools are not the same as they were my first two congresses. But I'm going to use the tools that I have; just because we're out of power doesn't mean we don't have any power.

Sarah Kallis: Warnock, who is a ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, said he will bring Trump administration officials in to testify. The town hall was briefly interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis in Atlanta.

Story 4:

Peter Biello: Georgia's Democratic Party has elected Charlie Bailey as its new chairman. Bailey won a leadership race on Saturday, pledging to help the party win elections. He ran for attorney general in 2018 and lieutenant governor in 2022, losing both times to Republicans. He said those narrow losses can help him show other Democrats how to beat GOP candidates. Bailey replaces U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, who stepped down after electoral defeats last year spotlighted discontent with her leadership.

Caption

Insufficient treatment of asthma can lead to chronic lung damage, along with increased hospitalizations and resulting increases in medical costs.

Credit: Stock photo

Story 5:

Peter Biello: The American Lung Association says proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program could have disproportionate effects on kids with asthma. GPB's Ellen Eldridge has more.

Ellen Eldridge: Congress is considering cutting billions of dollars from the Medicaid budget, which ensures about 2 million people in Georgia, mostly pregnant women and children. Dr. Christy Sadreameli is a pediatric pulmonologist. She says about half the pediatric asthma patients nationally suffer from asthma worldwide rely on Medicaid.

Dr. Christy Sadreameli: And when I'm working in the hospital, it's actually closer to 70% of the patients I take care of. And you can see this dynamic, you know, in Atlanta and other places in Georgia, where many, many children — both healthy children and children who have diseases, chronic diseases like asthma — do rely on Medicaid.

Ellen Eldridge: She says proposed Medicaid work requirements for adults will hurt caregivers, students and others who are unable to work due to illness or disability. For GPB News, I'm Ellen Eldridge.

Story 6:

Peter Biello: The state's second-most populous county has a new leader to attract and grow business. The Gwinnett Chamber said today that it's hired a former executive with the Georgia Chamber as Senior Vice President for Economic Development. Kevin Carmichael most recently held multiple senior positions with Atlanta-based digital commerce giant NCR Voyex.

Story 7:

Peter Biello: Georgia clean energy advocates are rallying behind federally funded clean energy programs. President Trump's proposed budget significantly reduces federal funding for a raft of environmental programs benefiting many states, including Georgia. Trump calls some of the programs racially divisive. Speaking with reporters today, Diamond Spratling of the Atlanta-based nonprofit Girl Plus Environment says that jobs in the clean energy sector are on the line.

Diamond Spratling: Clean energy jobs are not just a career path, they are a pathway to justice, dignity and economic liberation for so many communities, especially young people of color.

Peter Biello: The Georgia Chamber of Commerce says 82,000 Georgians held clean energy jobs as of last year.

Story 8:

Peter Biello: Albany Technical College today celebrated the opening of a $10 million facility that will train students pursuing careers in automotive collision repair and diesel technology. The Anthony Parker Transportation Academy was named for the college's longest-serving president, who led the school for 27 years beginning in 1995. He died in 2022.

Story 9:

Peter Biello: Pioneering golfer Jim Dent has died. His grandson posted on Facebook, Dent died on Friday, a week before his birthday. Dent grew up in Augusta, where he played at the municipal course known as The Patch, and was one of the legendary Black caddies at Augusta National Golf Club, known for their expertise of the course and the game. He went from caddying to making it on the PGA Tour. He was best known for how far he hit the golf ball, and Dent won the inaugural World Long Drive Championship in 1974. Jim Dent was 85 years old.

Story 10:

Peter Biello: The Braves may have lost the three-game series against the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend, but the bright spot? They were not swept. Last night Austin Reilly hit two two-run homers as the Braves ended the Dodgers seven-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory. Braves had been 0-5 against the Dodger's this season. Braves open a three-game series against Cincinnati Reds tonight at Truist Park. AJ Smith-Schauver will get the start for Atlanta.

Peter Biello: And that is it for this very newsy Cinco de Mayo. Thank you so much for tuning in. Remember, you can find all the latest updates at GPB.org/news. Our reporters are constantly posting new stories there. And remember to subscribe to this podcast. It's a great way to stay on top of the goings on in Georgia. Your feedback powers this podcast, so send it our way by email. Your notes go to the whole team when you send it to GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thank you again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

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