Political Rewind: Walker's latest interview; Kemp joins border task force; Mask mandate dropped

Caption

U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker addresses a crowd in Commerce, Ga.

Credit: Riley Bunch / GPB News

The panel:  

Chuck Williams — Reporter, WRBL 

Emma Hurt — Reporter, Axios News 

Greg Bluestein — Politics Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 

Rahul Bali — Politics Reporter, WABE 

 

The breakdown: 

1. Herschel Walker says he won't "dance and sing for nobody," in a new interview. 

• Walker sat down with Axios' Emma Hurt to talk his approach to the GOP primary.
• He also talked about his decision not to participate in debates at this time.
• The former UGA football champion is leading in an Emerson College poll with 57% of the vote. His closest competitor is Gary Black at 13%. 

2. Gov. Brian Kemp joins American Governors' Border Strike Task Force.

• The task force consists of GOP governors focused on countering illegal activity at the border. 
  • The task force highlights issues with President Biden's immigration policy. 
  • Governors of neighboring states Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee are also in the task force.

3. Travelers navigate updated, loosened policies.

• On Monday, a federal judge in Florida ruled against the Biden administration's mask mandate for travelers.
• GPB News' Amanda Andrews and Grant Blankenship reported on how Georgia travelers are navigating the change in the country's busiest airport. 
  • The ruling also applies to public transportation such as trains and buses.

4. A check-in on the 7th District race. 

• Georgia 6th District U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath announced she would run against Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux in the 7th District after congressional maps were redrawn in November.
• Both representatives are considered rising stars in the Democratic Party, though they take different platforms.

5. Residents in Morgan and Walton counties fear that Rivian committee meetings are just for show. 

• The state created four Rivian Planning Committees to get input after the backlash following the announcement of the plant. 

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