Political Rewind: Debt ceiling deal heads to President Biden's desk; GOP presidential field widens

Caption

With the latest debt ceiling deal now approved by Congress, President Biden will address the budget and debt agreement from the Oval Office on Friday evening, June 2.

The panel

Andra Gillespie, @AndraGillespie, professor of political science, Emory University

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

Charles Bullock, professor of political science, University of Georgia

Jim Galloway, @JimJournalist, former political columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The breakdown

1. The Senate has sent a debt ceiling bill to President Biden's desk.

• Days before the deadline, Congress has approved a debt ceiling bill. It cleared the Senate in a bipartisan 63-36 vote.
• While more Democrats voted for the bill than Republicans, the final bill had detractors on both sides. Some Democrats felt Biden gave up on items like work requirements for aid, and Republicans maintained they wouldn't vote for additional spending.
• Biden will give an address on the debt ceiling tonight.

2. More Republicans join the battle for the 2024 presidential primary.

• In the coming days, ⁠Mike Pence, Chris Christie, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum are expected to announce their bids for president.
• Donald Trump continues to dominate polls, but his legal battles may have an effect on his candidacy. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is solidly in second place, but he continues to trail behind the former president.

3. Gov. Brian Kemp won't be at the state GOP convention. Kari Lake will.

• Kemp previously announced he wouldn't attend the state Republican convention, which will be dominated by Trump-affiliated Republicans. Trump, Kari Lake, and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones will feature at the conference in Columbus.
  
  • Lake lost Arizona's gubernatorial election and refused to concede, citing election fraud.
• Kandiss Taylor, now GOP chair in Georgia, will also attend. ⁠She recently espoused flat-Earth theories.

Monday on Political Rewind: The AJC's Patricia Murphy joins the show.