Political Rewind: Health care top campaign issue; 9/11 tributes; Pine Lake decriminalizes abortion

Caption

The main campus of Atlanta Medical Center has a distinguished history. Originally an infirmary founded in 1901 by a local Baptist pastor who was also a physician, it grew rapidly and was known for years as Georgia Baptist Hospital.

Credit: File

The panel:

Alan Abramowitz, @AlanIAbramowitz, professor emeritus of political science, Emory University

Audrey Haynes, professor of political science, University of Georgia

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

Tammy Greer, professor of political science, Clark Atlanta University

The breakdown:

1. As the Atlanta Medical Center closes its doors, health care becomes a key campaign issue. 

• Democrats continue to push for the expansion of Medicaid.
  • If this happens, more than 600,000 Georgians would be insured.
  • On Friday at a campaign rally, Stacey Abrams and former Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin discussed the issue.
• Meanwhile, Gov. Brian Kemp says he's meeting with health care leaders. 
  • The AJC reports discussions involve shifting state and federal funds to Grady rather than seeking to keep Atlanta Medical Center open.

2. Shooting of Cobb County deputies sparks new debate on guns. 

• 11 Alive reports, 38-year-old Marshall Ervin, Jr. and 42-year-old Jonathan Koleski were killed after being ambushed while serving a warrant.
  •  Funeral arrangements were announced for the pair earlier this morning. 

3. The 21st anniversary of 9/11 happened over the weekend. 

• Nearly 3,000 people were killed during the terrorist attacks that happened at Ground Zero in New York, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon in 2001. 
  • President Biden visited the Pentagon Sunday for a 9/11 memorial. 

4. Walker's campaign released a new ad targeting Democrats for divisiveness.

• Patricia Murphy says the goal of the ad is to appeal to white voters. 

5. Pine Lake, Ga., decriminalizes abortion. 

• The smallest city in Dekalb county made the move. 
  • It will prevent using local funds to record, investigate, or help prosecute peopled under the so-called  “heartbeat law.”
  • State Sen. Jen Jordan, who is running for attorney general, says she'll take a similar position. 

Tuesday on Political Rewind: The AJC's Tamar Hallerman joins the panel.