Georgia special election, tax day and church police
Georgia special
The special election in Georgia to fill HHS Secretary Tom Price’s old congressional seat could end with a historic Democratic upset. The Sixth District seat has been held by a Republican continuously since Newt Gingrich won it in 1978, but changing demographics and what’s known as a “jungle primary” are giving Democrat Jon Ossoff a shot at winning today’s vote.
Georgia tea leaves
Spanning wealthier and Republican-leaning suburbs north of Atlanta, Tom Price’s old seat is just the kind of place Democrats would love to pull off an upset. They’d point to it as evidence of excitement in their base, and support from the upper-income Republicans and college graduates who eluded them in 2016. But winning will be tough. We look at data from the 50,000 early votes already cast to gauge the contest.
Custody battle
A lawyer for conservative radio show host Alex Jones says his client is nothing more than a showman. He said it in a Texas court, where Jones is fighting for custody of his children. His ex-wife argues the views and conspiracy theories on Jones’ radio show prove he’s unfit for fatherhood.
Silver lining
Whatever your feelings about tax day, retailers want you to know they feel your pain (or relief). The tax day freebie has become something of a modern tradition as corporations angle for new customers. Here’s a sampling of the companies trying to take some sting out of today by offering big discounts and free stuff.
Church cops
Alabama lawmakers could send a bill to the governor this week that would allow a megachurch to establish its own police force. The bill has already passed the state Senate and is awaiting a House vote. We take a look at why the plan is getting mixed reactions.
Corn sole
Reebok is creating its first shoe made entirely from biological materials. The shoe, available this fall, will have a cotton upper and a sole made from Susterra, a corn-based plastic substitute. It’s intended to be completely compostable, and will even use biologically derived glue to join the pieces together.
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