Politics

For a decade, Medicaid expansion has seemed like an intractable partisan issue, with Georgia Republicans hesitant to back a major component of the Affordable Care Act.

• But the tides may be turning.

Driving the news: In conversations with nearly a dozen lawmakers and lobbyists who spoke on condition of anonymity, Axios has learned that some Georgia Republicans have quietly changed their minds about Medicaid expansion, and that discussions about a path forward have been happening behind the scenes.

• Sources declined to speak on the record because of the topic’s political sensitivity.

One week after a federal judge ruled Georgia's public service commission district structure disenfranchises Black voters, an appeals court ruled the November elections will proceed after all.

• Driving the news: In a Friday filing, the 11th circuit court of appeals found it was too close to the elections to make such a change and doing so “'fundamentally alters the nature' of the upcoming elections."

Why it matters: The appeals court granted the defendants' request about the November elections without ruling on the bigger question, the constitutionality of how commissioners are elected.

During the Republican Senate primary, Herschel Walker refused to debate his primary opponents, arguing he was too far ahead in the polls to do so.

• The now-nominee did, however, promise to debate Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), including to Axios in April. He has reiterated that promise, saying he just wants a "fair and equitable" debate.

When it comes to landing the 2024 Democratic National Convention, one of Atlanta's biggest selling points will be the fact that it's relatively affordable to get a room downtown.

What's happening: Today, Democratic bigwigs scouting spots for the party's 2024 convention wrap up their grand tour of Atlanta, which is competing against Chicago, Houston and New York to host the multiday mega-event.

A massive bipartisan package to jump-start the nation's domestic semiconductor industry could reach the president's desk by the end of the week.

Why it matters: Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo called the chip shortage "a national emergency."

There are no high court justices who identify as a person of color in 20 states, while women make up less than a quarter of the bench in 10 states, according to data from the Brennan Center for Justice, reported by Axios' Stef Kight.

Zoom in: 48% of Georgia's population are people of color, but just two of its nine state Supreme Court justices, or 22%, are.

A Georgia law banning abortions as early as six weeks — a time when many people might not know they're pregnant— is likely to take effect following the U.S. Supreme Court overturning of Roe v. Wade.

In Tuesday night’s primary runoffs, the final outstanding candidates endorsed by former President Trump lost their bids to represent Georgia’s 6th and 10th Districts.

• Meanwhile, the candidates Stacey Abrams backed in three Democratic runoffs won their spots alongside her on the November ticket.

Driving the news: Rich McCormick and Mike Collins, the non-Trump-backed victors, are both all-but-certain to take office in the two Republican-leaning districts.

Why it matters: This means only two of Trump’s endorsed candidates won in contested Georgia Republican primaries this year: Herschel Walker and Burt Jones.

The other side: Abrams, who made an uncommon decision to endorse in some Democratic primary runoffs saw her picks for secretary of state, labor commissioner and lieutenant governor come out on top last night.

Details: In November, the statewide ticket will feature:

• Lieutenant governor: Former Fulton County prosecutor Charlie Bailey vs. GOP state Sen. Burt Jones
• Secretary of state: State Rep. Bee Nguyen vs. Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
• Labor commissioner: State Rep. William Boddie vs. GOP state Sen. Bruce Thompson
• Insurance commissioner: 2018 insurance commissioner candidate Janice Laws Robinson vs. incumbent, Kemp-appointed Insurance Commissioner John King

Of note: In the Republican primary in Georgia’s 2nd District, an influx of national money couldn’t stop Chris West. He defeated Jeremy Hunt, even though Hunt and outside groups backing him outspent West by a factor of 11.

Full results are available at the Georgia Secretary of State’s website and the AJC.