@dwickert

David Wickert is a reporter covering state government for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

 Atlanta, GA
ajc.com/staff/david-wickert/
Joined February 2009
  • Tweets14.2K
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Georgia Republicans could redraw maps, limit governor’s powers after election. State GOP leaders are tight-lipped. But Democrats are already preparing for what could be a bitter partisan showdown. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/geo…

Georgia Republicans could redraw maps, limit governor’s powers after election

State GOP leaders have not said if they plan to have a special session. But Democrats are already preparing for one.

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David Wickert retweeted
Katherine Landergan@klandergan6h
Both candidates for governor weighed in on our recent childcare investigation, along with the state's child care association and the former leader of the Georgia department that oversees daycares. Read all the reactions here: ajc.com/news/2026/10/georgia…

Georgia leaders, candidates say daycare injuries a major concern

Georgia governor and attorney general candidates say more needs to be done to protect children in daycare and to address issues revealed in an AJC investigation.

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“Anthropic’s AI agent accessed publicly available voter information, just as anyone else in this country can. There was no data breach, hack or unlawful or harmful tampering with voter information," a spokesman for Georgia's secretary of state said. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/ai-…

Artificial intelligence bot accesses Georgia voting data

Anthropic, secretary of state say no individual voting records were accessed

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DOJ to send monitors to 6 Georgia counties with Democratic majorities bit.ly/47ChdI8

DOJ to send monitors to 6 Georgia counties with Democratic majorities

The U.S. Department of Justice has notified several left-leaning Georgia counties that it intends to station election monitors on Election Day.

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The races for some of Georgia’s top elected offices are a dead heat, setting up a last-minute scramble that will have big implications for how state government operates come January. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/geo…

AJC poll: Georgia’s downballot races are deadlocked

Democrats have not won a statewide executive branch office since 2006. The AJC poll shows open seats for lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state are tied.

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Outside groups have poured an unprecedented $3.1 million into the statewide races for Georgia Power’s regulator, with control between Republicans and Democrats hanging in the balance. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/mil…

Outside groups are spending millions to back GOP candidate for Georgia PSC

Pro-industry groups are outspending clean energy- and consumer-focused ones by four to one in key Georgia Public Service Commission races.

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Outside groups have poured an unprecedented $3.1 million into the statewide races for Georgia Power’s regulator, with control between Republicans and Democrats hanging in the balance. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/mil…

Outside groups are spending millions to back GOP candidate for Georgia PSC

Pro-industry groups are outspending clean energy- and consumer-focused ones by four to one in key Georgia Public Service Commission races.

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The races for some of Georgia’s top elected offices are a dead heat, setting up a last-minute scramble that will have big implications for how state government operates come January. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/geo…

AJC poll: Georgia’s downballot races are deadlocked

Democrats have not won a statewide executive branch office since 2006. The AJC poll shows open seats for lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state are tied.

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Feds seek 14-year sentence for First Liberty leader as supporters urge leniency Brant Frost IV, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud in what prosecutors called a Ponzi scheme, is scheduled for sentencing on Monday. ajc.com/news/2026/10/first-l…

Feds seek 14 years for First Liberty leader as supporters urge leniency

Federal regulators last year accused First Liberty of operating a $140 million Ponzi scheme that targeted conservative and faith-based investors across Georgia and beyond.

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AJC poll: Georgia’s downballot races are deadlocked Voters split over races for lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state ajc.com/politics/2026/10/geo…

AJC poll: Georgia’s downballot races are deadlocked

Democrats have not won a statewide executive branch office since 2006. The AJC poll shows open seats for lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state are tied.

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Keisha Lance Bottoms and her husband have a history of late tax payments. Rick Jackson, her Republican opponent for governor, is fighting the IRS in court over millions in allegedly disallowed corporate deductions. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/kei…

Bottoms and her husband have a history of late tax payments

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and her husband, Derek, have faced hefty tax liens in the years since she assumed elected office in Atlanta.

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Internal documents introduced in the case indicated that agents were directed to focus on California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin. nytimes.com/2026/10/21/us/po… via @NYTimes

Judge Restricts D.H.S. Field Operations Aimed at Unearthing Voter Fraud

The ruling largely blocked homeland security agents from carrying out field interviews in nine states, including California, as part of a sprawling effort to find noncitizens registered to vote.

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An AJC poll shows Democrat Tanya Miller and Republican Brian Strickland are tied in the race to become the state’s top lawyer. The race has become a debate about experience. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/geo…

Tight race for Georgia attorney general becomes a debate over experience

Democrats are spending big, believing they have a chance to slip the open seat amid President Donald Trump's unpopularity. Republicans are pushing back.

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David Wickert retweeted
Adam Beam@adambeamOct 20
Democrats and Republicans are sinking millions of dollars into a deadlocked Georgia attorney general’s race in a high-stakes competition be the state’s next top lawyer. AJC poll shows the race is a dead heat. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/geo…

Tight race for Georgia attorney general becomes a debate over experience

Democrats are spending big, believing they have a chance to slip the open seat amid President Donald Trump's unpopularity. Republicans are pushing back.

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David Wickert retweeted
Patricia Murphy
@MurphyAJCOct 20
NEW @ajc Georgia governor’s poll results: Rick Jackson: 46% Keisha Lance Bottoms: 45% - 18% of independents are still undecided. - UGA polled 1,000 likely voters with live calls, MOE: 3.1%. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/ric…

Rick Jackson has outspent Keisha Lance Bottoms, but Democratic enthusiasm has the race knotted.

A new Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll shows neither candidate has managed to break away in a contest for the state’s top job.

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An AJC poll shows Democrat Tanya Miller and Republican Brian Strickland are tied in the race to become the state’s top lawyer. The race has become a debate about experience. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/geo…

Tight race for Georgia attorney general becomes a debate over experience

Democrats are spending big, believing they have a chance to slip the open seat amid President Donald Trump's unpopularity. Republicans are pushing back.

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State Supreme Court ruling calls local government fees into question. Chatham County must refund $30 million in fire fees, but the impact could be broader. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/geo…

Georgia Supreme Court ruling calls local government fees into question

The state Supreme Court ruled Chatham County's fire protection fee is an illegal tax. Its impacts could be much broader.

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Battle over Fulton County election board reaches Georgia Supreme Court The GOP says the county must accept its nominees. County officials say they can reject them. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/bat…

Battle over Fulton County election board reaches Georgia Supreme Court

The Fulton County Republican Party says the Democratic-controlled County Commission must accept its nominees. Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical.

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David Wickert retweeted
Katherine Landergan@klanderganOct 14
I get it. You're busy. You don't have time to read a 3k word investigation. We've got you covered: Here are our 5 big takeaways from our investigation into daycares: ajc.com/news/2026/10/georgia… (Also please read the long version too thanks)

5 takeaways from the AJC’s daycare safety investigation

Among the takeaways about daycares in Georgia is that state's quality rating system is flawed and daycares with serious safety violations have collected state money.

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Adams refused to certify election results. Frazier challenged the eligibility of thousands of legitimate voters. Now the court will decide whether Fulton County must accept them as members of the board that oversees county elections. ajc.com/politics/2026/10/bat…

Battle over Fulton County election board reaches Georgia Supreme Court

The Fulton County Republican Party says the Democratic-controlled County Commission must accept its nominees. Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical.

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