Patricia Murphy Journalist Profile

Articles

Donald Trump backs Josh McKoon’s reelection as Georgia GOP chair

5 days ago | macon.com | Bob Andres |Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

Today's newsletter highlights:Georgia farmers are still waiting on federal disaster aid. Brian Kemp has less than a week to act on about 300 bills. Georgia Democrats want a special session to prepare for tariffs. The Democratic Party of Georgia faced months of internal fissures that led to the ouster of its chair and the installation of a new leader last week. Georgia GOP chair Josh McKoon, by contrast, is consolidating support from the disparate corners of his party.
Buddy Carter’s US Senate campaign is the first of many GOP bids to come

6 days ago | macon.com | Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

Today's newsletter highlights:Ethics complaint alleges improper coordination during 2022 governor's race. Brian Kemp weighs bill offering domestic violence victims a path out of prison. David Perdue takes the oath as the new U.S. ambassador to China. The dominoes are already starting to fall. Gov. Brian Kemp's decision not to run for U.S. Senate was just three days ago, and other Republicans are rushing to fill the vacuum. The first prominent GOP figure to jump in is U.S. Rep.
It's not just Donald Trump. Georgia voters disapprove of Elon Musk, too

1 week ago | ledger-enquirer.com | Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

Today's newsletter highlights: Farooq Mughal and Sandy Donatucci will battle again for the House District 105 seat. Tyler Harper rides a bull for Future Farmers of America. Lucy McBath teams with Adam Schiff to propose assault weapons ban. Elon Musk's aggressive push to slash the federal bureaucracy as head of President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency initiative is facing a backlash - and not just from Georgia Democrats.
Chris Carr is defending Georgia’s gun law. He also wants to change it

4 weeks ago | macon.com | Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

Sam Couvillon raises $260,000 to challenge U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde. Gov. Brian Kemp will sign a tax cut on Tax Day. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to hold a town hall in Cobb County. Attorneys general wield great power as their state's top law enforcement officer. But all that time in court can sometimes expose them to attacks from their political enemies - something Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr will have to navigate as he runs for governor in 2026.
Georgia voters are worried about Donald Trump’s tariffs, poll finds

1 month ago | macon.com | Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

Today's newsletter highlights:Georgia Democrats plan forums ahead of vote for next party chair. Lawmakers look to expand eligibility for college grants. Raphael Warnock will speak in Warm Springs on the anniversary of FDR's death. A new Morning Consult poll of Georgia voters offers a bleak view of President Donald Trump's tariff policy - and a potential warning shot to Republicans embracing the strategy ahead of next year's election.
Georgia GOP defends Donald Trump’s tariffs, though some are cautious

1 month ago | macon.com | Arvin Temkar |Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

As Wall Street reeled from another chaotic sell-off over fears of a deepening trade war, Georgia Republicans in Washington were quick to defend President Donald Trump's tariffs. But back home, state GOP leaders were noticeably more cautious. Gov. Brian Kemp sidestepped a direct answer on the fallout.
Stacey Abrams taps voter anger ahead of possible third run for governor

1 month ago | macon.com | Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

• Brandon Beach says goodbye to his state Senate colleagues. Eight years ago, Stacey Abrams delivered a speech at an Atlanta union hall that aimed to turn the outrage over Donald Trump's first term in office into electoral energy. It also laid the groundwork for her own run for governor. Now Trump is in his second term in office and Abrams has yet to announce whether she'll wage a third campaign for Georgia's top office after two unsuccessful runs. But her message about Trump remains the same.
GOP lawmaker loses job hours after he opposed Brian Kemp’s priority bill

1 month ago | macon.com | Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

• Bill would require drunken drivers to attend DUI school in person. The Democrats who crossed party lines to vote for Gov. Brian Kemp's legal overhaul aren't the only ones feeling the heat. A prominent Republican legislator may have lost his job because he opposed the governor's top priority. State Rep. Vance Smith, R-Pine Mountain, isn't commenting on what happened with his role as president and CEOof the Harris County Chamber of Commerce.
Fate of Brian Kemp’s priority bill rests on likely House vote today

1 month ago | macon.com | Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

Today's newsletter highlights:Most Georgia voters choose not to cut their taxes. House lawmakers shape DOGE-inspired bill. Georgia Supreme Court chief justice presides over final hearing. It's put up or shut up time for Gov. Brian Kemp's push to limit lawsuits. Barring a seismic change, the Republican's plan to rewrite litigation rules is headed for a House vote later today, likely the last major legislative hurdle it faces.
Jon Ossoff warns GOP about Medicaid cuts: ‘Voters will be watching’

2 months ago | macon.com | Greg Bluestein |Tia Mitchell |Patricia Murphy |Adam Beam

• Two state senators have special bond over organ donation. • White House appoints Gov. Brian Kemp to the Council of Governors. Democrats have been sounding the alarm on the Republican-led plan to drastically reduce spending on safety net programs like Medicaid as part of a sweeping package that also includes tax cuts and money for new border security efforts. But U.S. Sen.