May 26, 2026

In this episode of The Morning Drip on WRTO.fm (Radio Free Georgia), we clear away the smoke and mirrors to tackle the hard truths hitting our state. Broadcasting live on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, following an extended holiday weekend, we break down the fallout from Georgia’s recent primary elections and the rising tide of election denial politics.

We also dive into the real-world impact of Georgia's freshly expanded school smartphone ban, look at a surprising new study on classroom tech restrictions, and pull back the curtain on why federal agencies are increasingly monitoring everyday citizens as "anti-tech extremists."

Key Talking Points

The Georgia Primaries & Election Denial Fever

•         The Post-Election Temperature: One week out from the Georgia primaries, the political climate remains heavily fractured. In several major Republican races, candidates leaning into election denial and voter suppression emerged on top.

•         The Raffensperger Fallout: Incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger—frequently targeted by the MAGA faction for refusing to "find" non-existent votes in 2020—lost significant ground, pulling in only around 15% of the vote against Trump-aligned challengers.

•         The State Supreme Court & Redistricting: Republican-backed incumbents successfully held onto their seats in the Georgia Supreme Court races. This is a massive retention of power given that upcoming redistricting fights will likely be decided by these very courts.

•         Democratic Turnout: On the flip side, Democratic voter turnout was notably strong, outpacing Republicans in several key races.

The Classroom Device Ban: House Bill 1009

•         Stricter Statewide Mandates: Following up on HB 340 (which restricted devices in grades K-8), Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1009 in May 2026. This extends the "bell-to-bell" ban to all Georgia high schools, capturing smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and headphones. It will fully take effect in the 2027–2028 school year.

•         The Data vs. The Rules: A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research analyzing 40,000 schools between 2019 and 2026 revealed that banning phones has virtually zero impact on improving student test scores. It did, however, trigger temporary spikes in disciplinary issues and a short-term drop in student well-being.

•         The Parent Dilemma: While a Gen-X perspective reminders us that "we did okay without them," the modern reality of frequent school violence leaves many parents deeply uncomfortable with their children lacking a direct line of communication.

Data Centers & The "Anti-Tech Extremist" Label

•         Surveillance of Lawful Dissent: A report from Wired exposed that the FBI, DHS, and regional fusion centers are actively tracking "anti-tech extremism". Alarmingly, the definition is vague enough that peaceful environmental activists, AI skeptics, and citizens speaking out at local town halls are being lumped in with violent threats.

•         The Local Fight in Irwin County: Data center controversies are hitting home in South Georgia. While tech companies and local politicians promise hundreds of permanent jobs to rural communities, the reality of automated, software-defined networking means a completed data center only requires 15 to 20 actual employees.

•         Resource Strains: Beyond inflated job numbers, serious community concerns persist over localized power bill increases and the massive amounts of water required to keep AI cooling systems operational.

Connect With The Morning Drip!

What are your thoughts on the primary results? Are you comfortable with your kids' devices being locked up at school? Do you want a mega data center in your backyard? Talk back to us:

•         Call or Text: 229-520-5957 (Text line is open 24/7; phone lines are live during the broadcast only!).

•         Email the Show: morningdrip@radiotift.com.

•         Tune In Live: We are back on the air tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 7:30 a.m..