Political Rewind: Kemp pushes back on vaccine mandate; Georgia GOP and Dems clash over redistricting

Published: Nov. 8, 2021, 4:10 p.m.

\u200bMonday on Political Rewind: Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr have expanded their legal battle against the Biden administration\u2019s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. They filed a new lawsuit even as Georgia passed 25,000 deaths from COVID-19.\n\nAxios political reporter Emma Hurt pointed out that Kemp's resistance to the vaccine mandate falls in line with his strategy throughout the pandemic, and his opposition to Biden.\n\n"He says, 'This is your choice,'" she said. "'You and your doctor should decide. I think it's a good idea, but I'm not going to tell you what to do. I'm the government. You decide for yourself.' So it really fits in with that track record. And it also positions Kemp well. As you know, I think we've seen him do this repeatedly, going back to the good politics point, as kind of a foil on the national stage to Biden. We saw it with the voting law. And so it is it does make political sense as well beyond know the legal arguments that they are making."\n\nA federal appeals court has temporarily stayed the order calling for companies with more than 100 employees to require vaccines for their workers by early next year.\n\nMeanwhile, the state senate is moving quickly to pass new Georgia voting districts. The redistricting committee approved new senate districts on just the third day of the special session. Democrats say GOP legislators aren\u2019t giving them or the public the time needed to weigh in on the new maps.\n\nAlso: If Stacey Abrams chooses not to run for governor, is DeKalb Democratic CEO Michael Thurmond likely to enter the race? He hinted he might on our show late last week.\n\nPanelists:\n\nEmma Hurt \u2014 Political reporter, Axios Atlanta\n\nStephen Fowler \u2014 Political reporter, GPB news\n\nLeroy Chapman \u2014 Managing editor, Atlanta Journal-Constitution\n\nJim Galloway \u2014 Former political columnist, Atlanta Journal-Constitution