Marjorie Taylor Greene’s exit hints at growing GOP discontent in Congress

Is U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s sudden resignation the start of a trend? She might be the most prominent MAGA loyalist to break with President Donald Trump, but she may not be the last.

Punchbowl’s Jake Sherman reports he received several messages from GOP lawmakers who say they, too, are considering retiring in the middle of their terms.

The general sentiment is blunt, he said in a social media post: “Why the hell should we stay in Congress if all we’re going to do is vote on censures and be a potted plant?”

There’s good reason for the grumbling. Trump has asserted near-total control over House Republicans, leaving little room for members to deviate from the White House line. Even rank-and-file conservatives say they’re boxed in.

That’s why some frustrated Republicans are reaching for discharge petitions — the obscure procedural maneuver that allows a majority of the House to force a vote even when leadership refuses. That’s how Greene and a coalition of Republicans and Democrats muscled forward the Jeffery Epstein disclosure legislation, despite Trump’s initial objections.

Greene said Monday that “it’s worse than people inside the bubble know.” And she warned Trump’s executive orders are temporary and could be reversed under the next president.

“Passing effective legislation that gets signed into law is permanent and actually solves Americans problems,” she said. “Now that House members are switching gears into campaign mode and will be fighting for their lives, our legislative majority has been mostly wasted.”

Things to know

Good morning! We’re 48 days away from the start of Georgia’s legislative session. The primary for U.S. senator, governor and other offices is in 175 days.

Here are three other things to know for today:

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Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

While Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s decision to resign from Congress has caused a media frenzy, it has been impossible to miss the complete silence of her fellow Republicans in the Georgia congressional delegation since her announcement. Not one has posted a message of support or even tepid well wishes.

Compare that to U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, who said he has been “diametrically opposed” to most positions that Greene holds, but that he admires her willingness to evolve and even apologize for her past actions.

“Who among MTG’s Republican congressional colleagues has the courage to stand with MTG in these perilous times? Apparently none. I respect MTG and wish her well,” he said.

Affordability battle

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

State Farm announced last week it will lower its auto insurance rates in Georgia by another 3%, bringing the total reduction to more than 10% in the past year. But it was the reaction from state politicians that got our attention.

Insurance Commissioner John King, a Republican, heralded the news, noting it will save Georgia policyholders an estimated $400 million per year. King said on average, drivers can expect to save about $190 for every insured vehicle.

“I promised on day one that I would not only fight for Georgia families to have coverage options, but affordable options at that,” King said.

But auto insurance rates have been soaring since the pandemic, with the Bureau of Labor Statistic putting the national increase at 55% since 2020. State Rep. David Wilkerson, D-Powder Springs, noted that policyholders are still paying more than they were three years ago.

“I welcome some shift toward stabilization after a volatile period,” Wilkerson said. “However, affordability remains a pressing issue, particularly for low and middle-income households.”

You can expect to see similar messaging battles play out over the next year as the 2026 campaigns coalesce around the issue of affordability after Democrats’ decisive wins in this month’s Public Service Commission elections.

AI concerns

Georgia voters have already been confronted with a computer-generated version of Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff this election cycle, which his campaign denounced. Now, a new poll shows many of them have concerns with the future of the technology.

More than half of registered Georgia voters say they agree that artificial intelligence will “undermine civil discourse in our society,” according to a new poll shared exclusively with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The results come after U.S. Rep. Mike Collins’ Senate campaign created a deepfake video of Ossoff saying he didn’t care about people who receive federal food benefits — words Ossoff never said. The video had a small disclaimer in the corner that it had been made by using artificial intelligence.

The poll was conducted by Americans for Responsible Innovation, a public interest policy nonprofit founded by former U.S. Rep. Brad Carson, a Democrat from Oklahoma, and tech entrepreneur Eric Gastfriend.

Among other findings:

The results echo a concern of state Rep. Todd Jones, the chair of the House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee. The Cumming Republican said he wants to foster the technology’s innovation, but that there must be guardrails in place to ensure that the technology is not used for nefarious purposes.

The poll results are based on online interviews of a sample of 510 registered Georgia voters from Oct. 27 to Nov. 11. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4%.

Campaign watch

Credit: Screenshot

Credit: Screenshot

A staffer for U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of the first Republicans to launch a bid for her soon-to-be-vacant seat. But Greene isn’t endorsing him — or anyone else.

Jim Tully, the 14th District GOP chair and a field representative for Greene, posted a kickoff video last night touting his “lifetime of public service.” He pitched himself as a unifier who can bring fractious Republicans together.

Greene, for her part, said she’s staying out of the wide-open contest, which is expected to draw a crowded field. (You can see our running list in yesterday’s newsletter.)

“I truly support the wonderful people of Georgia 14 and want them to pick their Representative,” she said. “So anyone claiming they have my endorsement would not be telling the truth.”

Listen up

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast Democratic state Reps. Derrick Jackson and Ruwa Romman discuss their campaigns for governor.

You can listen and subscribe to Politically Georgia for free an Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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.

Today in Washington

Credit: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Credit: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Correction

Yesterday’s newsletter should have said that the House Committee on Ethics had received a complaint about U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, and his chief of staff.

About that pension

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s decision to resign on Jan. 5 seemed odd for several reasons, including its timing. Why announce a resignation more than 40 days in advance? It didn’t take long for the internet to find a theory.

“MTG’s federal pension vests after five years of service — on January 3, 2026,” read one post on X.

Commenters were quick to pile on Greene’s timing, with one writing “she cashed out and ran.” But a closer look reveals her lifetime pension isn’t that lucrative. She’ll make 1% of her $174,000 salary for every year in office. That works out to be about $8,700 per year, money she can’t collect until she turns 62 in 2036, according to AJC contributor Jamie Dupree.

Plus, the pension does not include health insurance benefits. She’ll be on her on for that.

It doesn’t look like she’ll need the money. She has majority ownership in her family’s commercial construction business, which is worth about $25 million.

Shoutout

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Today’s birthday:

Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that. Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.

Before you go

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who is running for Senate, said he donated his congressional salary during the federal government shut down to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, a nonprofit food bank.

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.