Georgia labor commissioner seems to sidestep questions about Trump endorsement

The clear trend among statewide Republican candidates has been to loudly and proudly declare support for President Donald Trump in the hopes of winning his endorsement.

But newly appointed Georgia Labor Commissioner Barbara Rivera Holmes bucked the trend this week when she seemed to sidestep a question about whether she’s seeking Trump’s endorsement for her campaign in 2026.

“We accept all support,” she said in an interview with the “Politically Georgia” podcast out today. “I am not seeking anyone’s endorsement but that of the people of Georgia.”

Asked whether she supports Trump’s broader moves on the economy, Holmes again kept the conversation close to home.

“I’m really focused on Georgia,” she said. “I’m focused on doing the work in Georgia, supporting Georgians, being a strong ally to Governor Kemp, which of course I am, and to our legislative partners, so that we can keep Georgians here employed, continue to make smart decisions in our state, which is where I have oversight.”

Holmes’ approach to Trump may be different from other Republicans since her race is likely to be different, too. Most statewide contests are expected to feature crowded GOP primaries, meaning a Trump endorsement will be crucial.

But Holmes’s recent appointment by Kemp means few well-funded Republicans are likely to challenge her in the primary. She’s far more likely to face her stiffest competition in November against a Democrat.

On second thought

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

A few weeks ago, Georgia county commission chairs were urged to RSVP for a conference in Washington that starts today to meet directly with Trump administration officials.

Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts was among the dozens who quickly signed up for the White House State Leadership Conference, which he figured would give him the chance to press the flesh with agency heads and discuss his county’s priorities.

But over the weekend, he got a short email informing him that “due to circumstances beyond our control, we are no longer able to welcome you to the White House.”

He’s one of at least three metro Atlanta commission chairs — all Democrats — who said they received similar notices.

Cobb Commission Chair Lisa Cupid also said she received word she was no longer on the list. So did Rockdale Commission Chair JaNice Van Ness, though she said late Monday she was still trying to hash out a plan.

A White House official said this was no snub, pointing to an invitation that said officials were only able to accommodate 75 attendees in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building room and that the spots would be filled in order of RSVP.

But Pitts said he’s not convinced. He told us that he got his RSVP confirmation in mid-May — only to get the “disinvitation” on Sunday afternoon, after he had already traveled to Washington.

“The message was quite a surprise and a disappointment, since I was looking forward to the opportunity to discuss pending grant funds and maintaining grant funds that affect the 1.2 million Fulton County residents,” he said.

“I hope whatever led to this disinvitation can be resolved in the future so Fulton County and the administration can focus on collaboration and service to our mutual constituents.”

Things to know

Good morning! The House Study Committee on Cancer Care Access will have its second meeting today in Albany at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. Lawmakers will get a briefing from the Georgia Department of Public Health, among other things.

Here are three other things to know for today:

Historic preservation

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Convincing Georgia Republicans to oppose President Donald Trump’s policies is often a game you can’t win — especially when it comes to a niche issue like historic preservation. But the head of Georgia’s premier preservation group is deftly applying pressure by pivoting to an issue all politicians care about: economic development.

Wright Mitchell, head of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, says the Trump administration’s push to gut support for the federal Historic Preservation Fund could cut off access to key tax credits for developers looking to rehab old buildings.

He doesn’t have to go far to find a good example. Ponce City Market, now a staple in Atlanta’s dining and shopping scene, benefited from state and federal historic tax credits to turn a nearly 100-year-old Sears Roebuck retail store into a trendy destination.

In Savannah, developers benefited from those tax credits to transform an old electric power plant into Plant Riverside, a vibrant entertainment district along the river.

To be eligible for these tax credits, buildings first must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If Trump’s funding cut is approved, Wright said there would likely be no more state workers reviewing applications to add to the list.

“Historic preservation is a huge driver for economic development in Georgia,” Mitchell said. “Any town you go to that has been successful economically has this component … where historic buildings have been put back into use.”

The trust created a tool last month for people find to their legislators and send them a letter making these points. The letter also notes money for the fund doesn’t come from taxpayers directly, but from the fees for oil and gas leases on federal lands.

“By eliminating this program you’re not saving taxpayers any money,” Mitchell said.

Yes, but …

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

The Atlanta City Council’s unanimous approval of a record-high $975 million budget on Monday did not come without conditions.

Our AJC colleague Riley Bunch reports council members weren’t too happy about the $33 million deficit that led to spending cuts and layoffs. Moving forward, they’ve directed Mayor Andre Dickens’ administration to give them monthly budget updates. And they want more of a voice in the early stages of budget planning.

“An error is not a mistake until you repeat it,” council member Howard Shook said. “As difficult as the budget was, we might have made it look too easy today.”

Dickens didn’t seem fazed by it, calling the council’s action “a vote of confidence for Atlanta’s future.”

The first-term mayor doesn’t have to sweat it too much as he is not likely to face a well-funded challenger for reelection later this year. Some had expected the sleepy race to make it harder for Dickens to raise money this year. But his campaign raised about $3.2 million so far, giving him roughly $1.8 million cash on hand.

“There’s been less drag … on the fundraising than I would have expected,” Howard Franklin, a lobbyist and Dickens’ senior campaign adviser told the AJC.

Listen up

Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

Credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

Today on “Politically Georgia,” newly appointed Labor Commissioner Barbara Rivera Holmes joins the podcast to talk about her path from being born in Puerto Rico to becoming Georgia’s first Latina in a statewide constitutional office.

Then, AJC business editor J. Scott Trubey discusses the state of Georgia’s economy as President Donald Trump’s tariffs cause uncertainty and confusion.

Have a question or comment for the show? Email us at politicallygeorgia@ajc.com or give us a call at 770-810-5297 and you could be featured on a future episode.

You can listen and subscribe to the show for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Sanctuary cities

Georgia law prohibits local governments from labeling themselves as sanctuary cities, a designation that usually means officials limit their cooperation with federal immigration officials to protect people who are living in the country without legal permission.

Still, the Trump administration’s list of more than 500 “sanctuary jurisdictions” includes six in Georgia.

Athens and Atlanta were the two Georgia cities on the list. There are also four counties: Athens-Clarke, DeKalb, Douglas and Fulton.

All of these municipalities denied they are sanctuary jurisdictions. The Department of Homeland Security said the list was based in part on:

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 28 requiring the Homeland Security secretary and the attorney general to publish a list of states and local jurisdictions that they considered to be obstructing federal immigration laws.

Today in Washington

Credit: Alex Brandon/AP

Credit: Alex Brandon/AP

Shoutouts

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

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Before you go

Thomasz Szabo pleaded guilty to making dozens of hoax bomb threats and false emergency reports targeting Americans citizens, including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. He’s scheduled to be sentenced in October.

That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.