1 big thing: 💪 Fair Fight's endorsement muscle

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2. Pic du jour: 🏮 Lighting up the Beltline

Revelers hold a giant bird lantern at the beginning of the Beltline Lantern Parade on the Westside Trail in 2022

New jobs to check out


3. 🏈 A Michael Vick tease

4. 🎉 Axios all together

5. Five-ish points: Teacher of the year says ✌️

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It's Monday. It's primary eve. Let's do this. 

⛈ Today's weather: Stormy Monday. High of 76.

💙 Situational awareness: Our colleague Kristal Dixon is having surgery today and will be recovering at home for about a month. Please send her good vibes and podcast recommendations.

Axios' Jonathan Swan interviews Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky live today at 2pm.

Today's newsletter is 851 words — a 3-minute read.

🥰 Kristal is so grateful for her sisters, co-workers and friends who have been supportive during this challenging time. 

💙 Thomas and Emma are wishing Kristal positive energy and a speedy recovery. We're here for you, and we'll miss you! 

Atlanta

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Atlanta. Written by Emma Hurt, Kristal Dixon and Thomas Wheatley.

Axios Atlanta

1 big thing: 🗑️ Today we're talking trash

2. 🙋🏿 Atlanta's Black-owned business gap

3. 👶 Georgia's top baby names

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Fresh openings from the Job Board 


4. 🍹 Weekday happy hour deals you should know

5. Five-ish points: 🚫 No smoke zone

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😎 Today's weather: Sunny today. Clear tonight. High of 87.

Situational awareness: According to the AJC's Mark Niesse, thousands of Democrats appear to be voting in this year's Republican primary. 

Are you one of them? Reply to this email, and tell us why. 

Today's newsletter is 824 words — a 3-minute read.

Want free Axios swag? Refer your friends to Axios Atlanta! 

1 big thing: Save room for a union in your coffee

Illustration of the Starbucks siren holding up a fist. 

2. Rep. Loudermilk gets a request from the Jan. 6 committee

3. Champagne dates on a beer bottle budget

Stop by to see who’s hiring


4. Five-ish Points: "Buckhead Shore?!"

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😎 Today's weather: Clear skies with a high of 91.

Situational awareness: It's the last day of early voting before the Tuesday primary. More than half a million Georgians have already gotten it done. 

🎉 Don’t forget: The Beltline Lantern Parade takes over the Westside Trail tomorrow night. 

Today's newsletter is 942 words — a 3.5-minute read

😋 Kristal is determined to try all of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream flavors by the end of the year.

🧁 Emma feels a little weird being in D.C. the week before the primary, but also...loves any chance to visit A Baked Joint.

🚲 Thomas is riding e-bikes alllllll night long in D.C.

1 big thing: 🧳 Relocating Forest Cove residents

2. Trail notes: 🏃 The final sprint 

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3. ☕️ Small business spotlight: The Fountain

4. 👀 Five Points: Real estate, remotely

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, hot and breezy. High of 94 with wind gusts to 20 mph.

Situational awareness: Axios' Alexi McCammond wrote about "unorthodox voting strategies" happening nationally in this primary and in November. Check it out. You might see some familiar names! 

Your Axios Atlanta crew is filing from D.C. today because we are in town for a companywide retreat. We'll be back in the A before you know it!

Today's newsletter is 877 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🎧 How It Happened: "Putin's Invasion Part V: The fight for the Donbas" is out this morning with a new documentary episode examining the fight for the Donbas — the eastern borderlands of Ukraine where the most intense fighting is now happening.

This is told through the eyes of a journalist who has been covering the war there and a soldier who has been fighting there, both since 2014.

1 big thing: 🚓 Bucks for the blue

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2. 🚨 "Cop City" crackdown

A sign saying “keep cops out of ATL” leading into a tent city created by activists opposed to the Atlanta police academy 

3. 🗣️ Crossover voters speak out

Look who’s hiring


4. 🍿 Back to the movies? 

5. Five-ish Points: Music Midtown lineup released

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It's Wednesday. And we're all in this together. 

🍳 Today's weather: Sunny and hot. High near 91.

Situational awareness: A Confederate monument in Glynn County was quietly removed yesterday and will be sent to an unknown location, according to the Brunswick News. 

Lawsuits brought by the Sons of Confederate Veterans to prevent the removal have been thrown out of court.

Today's newsletter is 927 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🧴Thomas wants to hear y’all’s suggestions for a mineral sunscreen that doesn’t make him feel like he’s wearing clown makeup. 

🥵 Kristal is not ready for 90-degree weather in May.

 💕 Emma loves working with her Axios Atlanta team.

The PAC affiliated with Fair Fight Action, the voting rights policy organization Stacey Abrams founded after her 2018 loss, has been flexing new muscle in Democratic primary elections this year.

And that's not making everyone in the party happy.

Driving the news: In an effort to influence how voting policy is made at the state Capitol — and who shapes it — Fair Fight has taken the unusual step of wading into intra-party disputes, even if it means endorsing against incumbent members of the legislature.

The group has endorsed nearly 75 candidates across Georgia this cycle, largely in state House and state Senate primary races. Last year it backed several municipal candidates across the state. 

Some Fair Fight donors are unhappy and argue that involvement in primaries is counterproductive. Some said they don’t plan to support the group again as a result.

Axios spoke with more than a dozen Democratic officials and operatives (who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity) who questioned the purpose and motives of Fair Fight weighing in on primaries between candidates who generally agree on voting policy. 

Why it matters: Fair Fight has emerged as the strongest Democratic lobbying force at the state Capitol when it comes to voting policy. If the group takes a position on a bill, it’s difficult for Democratic legislators to take a different one.  

What they're saying: André Fields, Fair Fight PAC's political director, tells Axios in a statement that the group "carefully and thoroughly considers any endorsement we make, weighing a number of factors — including a candidate’s connection to the local grassroots activist communities that have always been core to Fair Fight’s mission."

The group, he said, makes endorsements when "a candidate stands out for their record on voting rights and their demonstrated commitment to protecting the freedom to vote." 

Yes, but: At the same time, the group has opted to stay out of many contested statewide races, including the crowded primary for lieutenant governor and the primary race for attorney general. 

The intrigue: Abrams is no longer working with the organization and has no role in the endorsement process, but she references the work of Fair Fight in her campaign. 

Maureen McIvor, a Democratic donor unhappy with one of Fair Fight’s decisions, said its involvement is confusing to voters: “Amateurs don’t know the difference between Stacey and the organization she founded. They’re saying, ‘Ugh, this is bad, why is she doing this?'”

By the numbers: The PAC has pulled in more than $110 million since January 2019, the vast majority of which came from donors outside of Georgia. As of March, it had more than $16 million cash on hand.  

Zoom in: One endorsement that has raised eyebrows is in state House District 90, Abrams’ former district. Fair Fight elected to support Bentley Hudgins, an organizer who has worked closely with the organization.

But among Hudgins’ opponents is Saira Draper, the former voter protection director of the Democratic Party of Georgia.

Another battle that’s prompted frustration is in the state Senate race between state Rep. Beth Moore and former Congressional candidate and organizer Nabilah Islam. While Moore earned Fair Fight’s support in 2020, the organization chose to back Islam this year.

Islam has been running attack ads accusing Moore of siding with Republicans on voting policy. The ads have enraged Moore’s supporters and prompted criticism from some sitting lawmakers. 

McIvor, a longtime donor to Moore, called the ads “disappointing” and said she will not donate to Fair Fight again at this point. Endorsing in races like this, she tells Axios, “does not advance Fair Fight’s cause.”

The big picture: “It certainly hurts if you don’t get endorsed by Fair Fight. Not only is it Stacey Abrams’ organization, but they’ve done excellent work to protect the right to vote in Georgia,” said state Rep. Sam Park, whom Fair Fight endorsed.

Another view: A former volunteer voter protection lawyer with the Democratic Party of Georgia who spoke on condition of anonymity said, ultimately, he views Fair Fight’s involvement as an indication of how Georgia’s Democratic political ecosystem has flourished.

“The fact that it’s business as usual is a good thing,” he tells Axios. “You have choices. You have actions with consequences. I would have laughed if you told me that six years ago.”

Fair Fight flexes new muscle in Georgia Democratic primaries

Some Fair Fight donors are unhappy and argue that involvement in primaries is counterproductive. Some went as far as to say they don’t plan to support the group again as a result.

The PAC affiliated with Fair Fight Action, the voting rights policy organization Stacey Abrams founded after her 2018 loss, has been flexing new muscle in Democratic primary elections this year.<ul><li>And that&#x27;s not making everyone in the party happy.</li></ul>

Politics

It turns out quite a few Axios Atlanta readers are crossing over in this primary election.

That means pulling Republican primary ballots even if you don't plan to vote Republican in November. 

What's happening: According to the AJC, thousands of Georgians who have voted Democratic in the past appear to have pulled Republican primary ballots this year. 

Georgia is an open primary state, meaning you can choose any ballot. 

The big picture: Most readers who responded to us said they are moderate Democrats or Republicans who started voting Democratic in the Donald Trump era. Almost all said they pulled the Republican ticket to make sure Trump-backed candidates stay off the general election ballot.

Several of you cited the absence of high profile contested Democratic primaries as another reason for the decision. 

What you're saying: "Whoever wins the gubernatorial election in November will be my governor regardless of party affiliation. So in the primary...I will vote for the Republican I can best live with," said Elyn M., who identifies as a moderate Democrat. 

"I just can’t live with the thought of Jody Hice being our secretary of state. He’s all but said he would cheat to help his candidates win. Raffensberger is the 'devil we know,'" said Diane L. 

Larry M. voted early in the Republican primary "armed with a list of the relevant endorsements from Trump with the specific intention of voting AGAINST them. My list was shared with friends and family."

Tom D. said he's voted Democratic since 2016 but plans to cast a Republican primary ballot. "I’m doing this to vote for the candidates who have shown courage and backbone in standing up to Trumpism. I realize that nearly all of my favored candidates will lose, but I want the party of the majority of my life to know that I’m still here."

Ann D. calls herself a moderate independent who voted Republican for years. "This year, however, I decided I would vote in the Republican primary for one reason:  I wanted a substantive way to say thank you to Secretary Raffensperger for doing the right thing at a critical time for this nation," she wrote. 

Axios Atlanta readers share their primary crossover plans

Thousands of Georgians who have voted Democratic in the past appear to have pulled Republican primary ballots this year.

Illustration of a red Maga-like baseball cap that reads "nope"

It turns out quite a few Axios Atlanta readers are crossing over in this primary election.<ul><li>That means pulling Republican primary ballots even if you don&#x27;t plan to vote Republican in November. </li></ul>What&#x27;s happening: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="According to the AJC" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/27739452.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" data-vars-content-id="84310ac9-d8a4-472b-9050-7a63dc35dd5d" data-vars-headline="Axios Atlanta readers share their primary crossover plans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/27739452.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" target="_blank">According to the AJC</a>, thousands of Georgians who have voted Democratic in the past appear to have pulled Republican primary ballots this year.

Sera and Jason Speegle worked in the restaurant industry for two decades.But in July 2021 they opened The Fountain on Acworth's Main Street and fulfilled a longtime dream for a business of their own.

What's happening: After first offering just evening cocktails, The Fountain recently added a morning shift with coffee and pastries to their repertoire. 

Details: The cafe hosts live music every Saturday and stand-up comedy twice a month. 

The big picture: Sera said their target audience is the "younger and different demographic" coming to Acworth these days. She says they love the area for its parks, its non-motorized lake and the fact that you're likely to hear multiple languages spoken on a daily basis.

Of note: After their careers in the craft cocktail industry, the Speegles' goal with The Fountain, Sera tells Axios, was not to be "so stuffy." 

"We were really sick of it having to be like you have to pronounce a certain type of word, a certain type of beer to be cool," she said. 

"If you want to order a Bud Light, order a Bud Light. But if you want a unique craft cocktail we're happy to do that too." 

Emma's thought bubble: The cookies were delicious. And that gorgeous skylight! Sera said it's original to the building. 

Acworth's The Fountain is great 'round the clock

After first offering just evening cocktails, The Fountain recently added a morning shift with coffee and pastries to their repertoire.

Sera and Jason Speegle worked in the restaurant industry for two decades.But in July 2021 they opened <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Fountain" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/thefountain_acworth/" data-vars-content-id="8c17165e-67ab-46c5-9d5d-77f685f380f5" data-vars-headline="Acworth&#x27;s The Fountain is great &#x27;round the clock" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/thefountain_acworth/" target="_blank">The Fountain</a> on Acworth&#x27;s Main Street and fulfilled a longtime dream for a business of their own.What&#x27;s happening: After first offering just evening cocktails, The Fountain recently added a morning shift with coffee and pastries to their repertoire.

Food and Drink

Former President Donald Trump’s GOP primary endorsements have had a mixed record across the country so far. Now, all eyes turn to Georgia and its Tuesday primary. And both sides are making their closing arguments with high-profile national surrogates. 

State of play: 18 months ago, Gov. Brian Kemp faced the worst of Trump’s ridicule and anger over the certification of the 2020 election. 

Now he's leading by more than 20 points in an average of public polls, has out-raised challenger David Perdue by a long shot and most recently has pulled in some big-name support, including former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Mike Pence, who will headline a Cobb County rally Monday night for Kemp.

Meanwhile, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will stump with Perdue tomorrow. But Trump himself has stayed out of the state since March, recently opting for a tele-rally for David Perdue. 

There has, however, been a roving "Real Georgia Speaks Team Trump Bus Tour" headlined by lower profile Trump allies pitching Georgia voters on the “Trump slate” of Republicans. 

The big picture: West Georgia Congressman Drew Ferguson, who is in House Republican leadership and has endorsed Kemp, tells Axios the governor has “had everything coming against him.”

“All of the media reports, the political world, and yet he's on the verge of not just skating by to victory but winning with a pretty commanding lead,” he said. 

Of note: Ferguson argues this race is not necessarily about the power of Trump’s endorsement, but looks to primaries without an incumbent for that answer, like the race for lieutenant governor.

Trail mix: Kemp told reporters at an event with Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey in Lawrenceville he's honored to have support from national Republicans. Ducey also faced Trump’s wrath during the 2020 election.

Ducey, who is also chair of the Republican Governors Association, said Kemp has “earned and deserves re-election. There's a lot of support for Gov. Kemp.”

The bottom line: Both camps argue that their respective candidates are the best option to beat Democratic hopeful Stacey Abrams in the fall. Team Kemp points out that he's already done it. 

The other side: “If we don’t have David Perdue on the main ballot, then the rest of the candidates like Herschel Walker are going to suffer as a result, and we will end up with a blue Georgia,” said Lynne Patton, an adviser to Trump’s PAC, on a Team Trump bus tour stop in Moultrie.

Trail notes: Georgia's final primary sprint

18 months ago, Kemp faced Trump’s anger over the 2020 election certification. Now he's leading by more than 20 points in an average of public polls.

Former President Donald Trump’s GOP primary endorsements have had a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mixed record" data-vars-click-url="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/18/trump-backed-candidates-2022-primary-results-00032746" data-vars-content-id="c1947bff-80b5-4d7a-a281-5e9b20732c61" data-vars-headline="Trail notes: Georgia&#x27;s final primary sprint" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/18/trump-backed-candidates-2022-primary-results-00032746" target="_blank">mixed record</a> across the country so far. Now, all eyes turn to Georgia and its Tuesday primary. And both sides are making their closing arguments with high-profile national surrogates. State of play: 18 months ago, Gov. Brian Kemp faced the worst of Trump’s ridicule and anger over the certification of the 2020 election.

National

The Jan. 6 select committee is requesting testimony from Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), the panel announced Thursday.

Why it matters: The request comes as the panel's members have become increasingly willing to seek information from their colleagues. They even went as far as to subpoena five House Republicans earlier this month.

The details: In a letter to Loudermilk, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the chair of the panel, wrote that Loudermilk has information regarding "a tour you led through parts of the Capitol complex on January 5, 2021," citing a review of evidence in the committee's possession.

"Public reporting and witness accounts indicate some individuals and groups engaged in efforts to gather information about the layout of the U.S. Capitol, as well as the House and Senate office buildings, in advance of January 6," Thompson continued.

Thompson also claimed the panel has evidence that "directly contradicts" claims by Republicans on the House Administration Committee, of which Loudermilk is a member, that a review of footage determined there were "no tours, no large groups, no one with MAGA hats on" leading up to Jan. 6.

The other side: "A constituent family with young children meeting with their Member of Congress in the House Office Buildings is not a suspicious group or 'reconnaissance tour,'" Loudermilk and Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, said in a statement.

They said the family never entered the building, accusing the Jan. 6 committee of "pushing a verifiably false narrative" and calling on the Capitol Police to "release the tapes."

They also highlighted an ethics complaint they filed last May against Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and other House Democrats who made the allegations.

Loudermilk expanded in a video released Friday that he took a family with young children and a guest to lunch at a House cafeteria on Jan. 5, suggesting that the committee has taken an interest because “some were actually wearing red baseball caps.”

He argued the committee should have dealt with the matter privately. “If this committee wanted to know the truth about this, all they had to do was ask,” Loudermilk continued, asserting that they sent an “accusatory letter … insinuating [I] am some kind of evil conspirator.”

State of play: Loudermilk claimed he, his staff and family have since received “numerous disparaging messages and, yes, even threats of violence." He said law enforcement is now monitoring his offices, home and family. 

Catch up quick: Loudermilk was one of a majority of Georgia House Republicans to object to the election certification, saying later that he believed it was “the right thing to do.” 

Text messages released by CNN showed Loudermilk’s texts to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on January 6 saying: “It’s really bad up here on the hill. They have breached the Capitol…this doesn’t help our cause.”

Flashback: Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) faced an allegation in the aftermath of Jan. 6 that she gave a "large" tour in the run-up to the Capitol attack.

Boebert called the claim, made by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), "categorically false."

What's next: Thompson said they are seeking an interview on the week of May 23.

Loudermilk said Friday “They only want to destroy their political opponents. I’m not going to stand by and let that happen”

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Reps. Davis and Loudermilk and a video from Loudermilk released on Friday. 

Atlanta Alerts

Axios Atlanta Thought Bubble

Jan. 6 committee seeks info from GOP Rep. Loudermilk over Capitol tour

The request comes as the panel's members have become increasingly willing to seek information from their colleagues.

Jan. 6 select committee

The Jan. 6 select committee is requesting testimony from Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), the panel announced Thursday.Why it matters: The request comes as the panel&#x27;s members have become increasingly willing to seek information from their colleagues. They even went as far as to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="subpoena five House Republicans" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/12/jan-6-panel-subpoenas-mccarthy-republicans" data-vars-content-id="e4594a39-7035-40fb-97a0-4621af58faf7" data-vars-headline="Jan. 6 committee seeks info from GOP Rep. Loudermilk over Capitol tour" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/05/12/jan-6-panel-subpoenas-mccarthy-republicans" target="_self">subpoena five House Republicans</a> earlier this month.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

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Stories

Fair Fight flexes new muscle in Georgia Democratic primaries

Jan. 6 committee seeks info from GOP Rep. Loudermilk over Capitol tour

Acworth's The Fountain is great 'round the clock

Trail notes: Georgia's final primary sprint

Axios Atlanta readers share their primary crossover plans

Newsletter editions

💪 Fair Fight flexes muscle

☕️ Lattes and labor

🏘️ Relocating residents

"Cop City" crackdown

Trash talk