June 19, 2026
In this week’s Elie v. US , our Justice Correspondent explains why he’s rooting for the Iranian national soccer team. Plus: the DOJ’s scary rollback of gun regulations.
Shahriyar Moghanlou of Iran battles for the ball with Finn Surman of New Zealand during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
(Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images)
Billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson won a GOP runoff for the governor’s race in Georgia, beating Georgia’s current lieutenant governor, Burt Jones. Jackson will now take on former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the general election.
Jones, who famously tried to help Donald Trump overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results, earned a thank-you endorsement from Trump nearly a year ago. His loss is one of the only times during this primary cycle that the Trump-endorsed Republican didn’t win.
For his part, Jackson, despite failing to secure an endorsement, did dutifully kiss Trump’s ring in the only way that matters: He donated $1 million to Trump in December. Jackson also reportedly spent $100 million of his own money on his campaign. He claims that being self-funded means that he’s not beholden to special interests but he’s a billionaire healthcare executive, which means he’s basically a walking special interest.
The most interesting thing about this gubernatorial primary is its immediate effect on the midterm elections. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais , the Georgia state legislature was one among a number of former Confederate states looking to re-gerrymander their congressional maps to give Republicans even more of an advantage. Georgia’s legislature is already dominated by Republicans, but there had been some pushback within the party against even more aggressively gerrymandering the state. Jones, as lieutenant governor (and therefore president of the Georgia state Senate), was expected to try to push through the new maps.
But now that he has lost, reports indicate that the new maps are “ dead on arrival .” This is not because Jones has had a change of heart. He still wants the racist gerrymander. It’s just that, since Jones is a lame duck, other Republicans who oppose the new map no longer fear his retribution should they vote against it.
That is fascinating to me. Republicans will go for maximal racism to keep their jobs, but won’t necessarily if they’re not threatened. And we’re all used to it. Pro-racism is just kind of accepted as a necessary position for Republicans who are still running for office.
Current Issue
The fact is, Republicans think racism helps them win. That’s probably the biggest difference between modern Republicans and the still-super-racist Republicans I grew up with. The Republican antipathy for equal rights has always run deep, but back in the day, active racism wasn’t the unyielding requirement for membership in the Republican party. Now, it pretty much is. And their voters love it.
I’m not looking forward to all the ways the healthcare executive will try to pick up the mantle of racist dog-whistling as he runs against a Black woman this fall. I’m sure it’ll be ugly.
The Bad and the Ugly
Speaking of healthcare executives—after a fashion—Luigi Mangione is planning to claim “extreme emotional disturbance” as his defense during his trial over his slaying of United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson. This means Mangione is admitting that he killed the man (after initially pleading “not guilty”). It also means that, if this approach succeeds, he’ll receive a much-reduced prison sentence. I interpret this as Mangione going for jury nullification —which is to say that the jury will support his clearly criminal actions and refuse to convict him. He’s not arguing that his killing was justified; he’s basically saying that it was understandable . If he gets off, I want a whole book written about the jury deliberations.
The Department of Justice has charged 15 Minnesotans with “conspiracy to impede federal officers” for resisting ICE’s invasion of Minneapolis/St. Paul. The DOJ describes the people it’s charged as “antifa,” even though it literally can’t explain what that means, or how any of the people arrested are involved with the so-called group. So we’re now at the point where the government can just charge people with being part of a conspiracy without ever defining what the conspiracy actually is. Meanwhile, the DOJ has still not charged anybody for the murders of Renée Good or Alex Pretti.
The DOJ is also suing the city of Evanston, Illinois, for its first-in-the-nation reparations program to pay back Black people harmed by the city’s racist housing practices between 1919 and 1969. This is the same DOJ that promulgated a white-grievance reparations fund for white insurrectionists involved in January 6. If Democrats ever retake the White House, the DOJ is going to need to be stripped down to the studs and rebuilt.
ICE agents have been given access to voter files in North Carolina and Texas. They are a…
Read the full article at The Nation →📄Source document: Shahriyar Moghanlou of Iran battles for the ball with Finn Surman of New Zealand during the FIFA World Cup 2026.→9 reports
The NationIndependentCenter2 days agoThe article discusses the author's personal support for the Iranian national soccer team ahead of the World Cup, alongside updates on a Georgia gubernatorial race. Billionaire Rick Jackson won a GOP runoff against Burt Jones, who had previously attempted to challenge Georgia's 2020 election results. Jackson defeated Jones despite lacking a Trump endorsement and spent significant personal funds on his campaign.
Bias read (Center): The article includes a personal opinion about supporting Iran in sports, which does not carry inherent political charge. The rest of the content focuses on factual reporting about a state-level election without overt ideological framing or biased language.
PoliticoParty-alignedLeft4 days agoRick Jackson's victory in the Georgia gubernatorial primary, funded by $100 million of his own money, represents a significant setback for President Donald Trump's record of supporting candidates in Republican primaries. Jackson defeated Trump's preferred candidate, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, with a heavy advertising campaign. The result adds to recent challenges for Trump, including the loss of Rep. Randy Feenstra in Iowa and mixed outcomes in other states.
Bias read (Left): The article frames Rick Jackson's victory as an 'embarrassing blemish' on Trump's record and emphasizes the financial scale of Jackson's campaign as a challenge to Trump's influence. The tone suggests criticism of Trump's ability to secure victories for his endorsed candidates, using language like '
The New York Times (US)Independent🔒Center4 days agoRick Jackson, a billionaire with limited public recognition prior to the election, has won the Republican runoff for Georgia governor. He will now face Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, in the general election in November.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overtly biased language or emphasis. It mentions Rick Jackson's status as a billionaire and his victory in the GOP runoff but does not frame the outcome with ideological slant. The mention of him being 'largely unknown' is neutral and does not imply a
Breitbart NewsIndependentRight4 days agoBillionaire Rick Jackson won the Georgia GOP gubernatorial runoff against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, securing the Republican nomination for the November general election. NBC News projected Jackson as the winner with 52.9% of the vote compared to Jones' 47.1%. The runoff occurred because neither candidate secured over 50% in the May primary. Jackson, a first-time candidate and healthcare executive, spent over $100 million of his own money on the campaign. Despite early endorsements from President Donald Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp, Jones lost to Jackson. Jackson will now face Democratic nominee Keisha
Bias read (Right): The article emphasizes Rick Jackson's status as a billionaire and highlights his self-funded campaign, which aligns with conservative narratives around individual wealth and limited government spending. It also notes Jackson's portrayal as a 'political outsider,' similar to Trump, which resonates in
PoliticoParty-alignedCenter4 days ago Billionaire Rick Jackson defeats Trump-backed Burt Jones in Georgia governor raceIn Georgia's Republican gubernatorial primary, billionaire Rick Jackson defeated Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones with significant financial backing from his personal wealth. This outcome represents a setback for both President Donald Trump and Governor Brian Kemp, who had endorsed Jones. Jackson received support from various notable figures, including former rival Chris Carr and Republican senators Ted Cruz and Rick Scott.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the election results factually without overtly favoring any political side. It highlights the role of financial resources in influencing the outcome but does not use biased language or selectively present information to sway the reader's perception.
The HillIndependentCenter4 days agoSenator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has endorsed two Republican gubernatorial candidates in Georgia and South Carolina who do not have President Donald Trump's support. In Georgia, Cruz backed billionaire Rick Jackson over Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones. In South Carolina, he supported Attorney General Alan Wilson over Lieutenant Governor Pamela Smith.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on endorsements made by Senator Ted Cruz without taking a stance or using biased language. It presents the facts of Cruz's support for specific candidates without editorializing or favoring one side over another.
The Daily WireIndependentCenter4 days agoBusinessman Rick Jackson defeated Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Republican primary for Georgia governor, winning with significant personal financial investment. Jackson will face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the general election. This marks a rare loss for Trump's endorsement efforts in the state.
Bias read (Center): The article presents facts about the election outcome, candidate spending, and endorsements without overtly favoring any political side. It notes Trump's endorsement and its failure but does not editorialize or use biased language.
PoliticoParty-alignedCenter5 days ago We’re about to find out how powerful Brian Kemp really is with Georgia RepublicansThe article discusses the upcoming Georgia gubernatorial runoff between Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and David Perdue, focusing on how the outcome will test the influence of outgoing Governor Brian Kemp within the Republican Party. Kemp endorsed Jones, creating tension with President Trump, who supports Perdue. The race is also affected by significant external funding from billionaire Rick Jackson, elevating lesser-known candidates. Analysts suggest the result will indicate Kemp's ability to maintain influence in the GOP and his potential viability for a future presidential run.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the situation objectively, discussing Kemp's endorsement of Jones, the impact of external funding, and the implications for Kemp's political influence without overtly favoring one side. It includes perspectives from unnamed Georgia Republicans but does not exhibit clear bias in措
PoliticoParty-alignedRight6 days ago Brian Kemp endorses Burt Jones in Georgia’s gubernatorial runoffGeorgia Governor Brian Kemp endorsed Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones in the state's Republican gubernatorial runoff election. Kemp aligned with President Donald Trump on their preferred candidate, marking his first public support for Jones ahead of the upcoming election. Kemp emphasized Jones' experience and accomplishments as a state senator and lieutenant governor. Kemp did not directly address rival candidate Rick Jackson in his endorsement but criticized Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, referencing her tenure as Atlanta's mayor.
Bias read (Right): The article frames Kemp's endorsement of Jones in a manner that highlights alignment with Trump and emphasizes Jones' qualifications through a conservative lens. The criticism of Keisha Lance Bottoms, while brief, implies scrutiny of her performance as Atlanta's mayor, which aligns with conservative
United States