U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, walks after the court's verdict in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia August 4, 2022. File photo by REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, was freed as part of a prisoner exchange.

The panel

Kevin Riley, @ajceditor, editor-in-chief, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Leo Smith, @leosmithtweets, Republican consultant, CEO, Engaged Futures

Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D), @mmo_mary, Georgia's 82nd District

Stephen Fowler, @stphnfwlr, political reporter, GPB News

 

The breakdown

1. Brittney Griner was freed in a prisoner exchange with Russia.

  • The WNBA player was sentenced to nine years in prison for less than an ounce of hash oil. She was released in exchange for a Russian arms dealer.
  • Her wife, Cherelle Griner, expressed her gratitude to the parties involved in the release. She said, "BG and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home, including Paul," in reference to imprisoned U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

 

2. Is Georgia really a blue state?

  • Although Sen. Raphael Warnock won his first full term in office, Republicans otherwise dominated statewide races.
  • AJC editor Kevin Riley says Republicans are split over what to do following Herschel Walker's loss. John Bolton, a potential presidential hopeful, and Marjorie Taylor Greene feuded over how Trump impacted his race.

LISTEN: Stephen Fowler discusses new political dynamics in Georgia.

3. Abrams campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo says her candidate had an "impossible" task.

  • Groh-Wargo tweeted that Stacey Abrams reliably drew support for Democratic candidates nationwide, advocated for voting rights in Georgia, and encouraged Raphael Warnock to run for Senate.
  • She notes right-wing media outlets smeared Abrams, setting her as an extreme alternative to a "moderate" Brian Kemp after his resistance to Donald Trump's involvement in the 2020 election.

LISTEN: Mary Margaret Oliver on Stacey Abrams' loss.

4. Looking ahead to the 2023 state legislature.

  • Abortion could be the elephant in the room for state Republicans. Their 2019 "Heartbeat" law, which passed by just one vote, is caught up in the courts. But the 2023 session's first pre-filed bill addressed financial compensation for women who would have sought an abortion.
  • After seeing the new shortened runoff in action, a new model could be on the table, or Georgia could shift to an "instant runoff" model to avoid further campaigning.

LISTEN: Bill Nigut and Mary Margaret Oliver discuss what to expect in the 2023 state legislature.

Friday on Political Rewind: Former columnist Jim Galloway joins a special panel on cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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