By Jill Nolin | Editor
The U.S. Supreme Court just released a series of decisions on issues as big as birthright citizenship and whether absentee ballots can be counted after Election Day. But there was an under-the-radar ruling released Tuesday dealing with political spending that we’re bringing to your attention today because it could shape the battle for control of the U.S. Senate. If nothing else, it will likely ratchet up the spending in what was already destined to be an expensive race.
Sen. Jon Ossoff and Congressman Mike Collins, Georgia’s Democratic and Republican candidates for U.S. Senate in 2026. A U.S. Supreme Court decision could cause even more cash to pour into the race. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder and Alander Rocha/Georgia Recorder
COURTS
By Ross Williams
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down federal limits on how much political parties can spend on candidates Tuesday, likely increasing the flow of cash into federal races.
Republicans celebrated the decision as a victory heading into November’s pivotal midterm elections, when Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is attempting to hold onto his seat against Republican Congressman Mike Collins. Ossoff is the only Democrat up for re-election in a state won by Republican President Donald Trump in 2024, which makes him a major target for the GOP.
Demonstrators rallied outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, as justices heard two cases on state bans of trans athletes. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom)
COURTS
By Maya Homan
A ban on transgender athletes participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams in Georgia is likely here to stay after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upheld similar bans in two other states Tuesday.
The decision, which was released on the final day of LGBTQ Pride month, upholds bans in Idaho and West Virginia, with the justices ruling that such laws do not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Georgia’s ban, which took effect one year ago on Wednesday, is known as the Riley Gaines Actafter a college swimmer who tied for fifth place with a transgender swimmer during a tournament at Georgia Tech.
Protesters held a rally on protecting birthright citizenship outside the U.S. Supreme Court as President Donald Trump attended oral arguments on April 1, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)
COURTS
By Ariana Figueroa
The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday struck down President Donald Trump’s attempt to redefine the constitutional right to birthright citizenship.
In the decision, a majority of the justices upheld the country’s long understanding of automatic citizenship by birth on American soil, regardless of the immigration status of a newborn’s parents. The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., found the president’s executive order violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights—to freely participate in our political community,” Roberts wrote. “The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land.’ We keep that promise today.”
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US Supreme Court upholds transgender athlete bans in Idaho, West Virginia | Jacob Fischler and Shauneen Miranda
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