Abrams vs. Kemp Debate Will Outline Kemp’s Dangerous Record for Georgia Voters

After Months of Hiding From His Own Policies, Kemp Will Continue to Mislead and Dodge Questions on His Extreme Record

Tonight’s Georgia gubernatorial debate will provide voters with a clear choice on who to support in the race for governor between Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp.

During the debate, Stacey Abrams will share her plans to build One Georgia where we can all thrive with good education, affordable housing, access to health care, and the opportunity to earn a good living. Kemp will dodge questions and mislead voters on his extreme agenda and dangerous record:

• Loosening Gun Safety Laws: Kemp signed a dangerous permitless carry bill into law that made it easier for criminals to carry guns in public by getting rid of the background check for concealed carry. Because background checks are not required for private gun sales, “oftentimes permit applications are the first time a check is required.” Kemp signed the law despite broad opposition, with polls showing 70% of Georgians were against it and major concerns from law enforcement.

• Extreme 6-Week Abortion Ban: Kemp mandated a ban on abortion at just six weeks, before many women know they’re pregnant — the extreme law essentially limits the ability of women seeking an abortion to just 2 weeks, effectivley outlawing “most abortion in Georgia.” New polling shows Georgians overwhelmingly oppose Kemp’s mandate that restricts reproductive freedom: 62% oppose Kemp’s abortion law – and 55% strongly oppose the ban.

• Health Care Crisis: As Georgians brace for another devastating hospital closure — the sixth to close on Kemp’s watch — he’s doubling down on his stubborn refusal to expand Medicaid, blocking access to health coverage for more than half a million Georgians, preventing the creation of over 64,000 jobs, and leaving more rural hospitals in danger of closing. More than 1.5 million Georgians lack health insurance coverage.

• Architect of Voter Suppression: As Secretary of State, Kemp oversaw 1.4 million voter registrations canceled — nearly 670,000 registrations were canceled in 2017 and low-income and minority Georgians were most likely to be impacted. Kemp put 53,000 voter registrations on hold just before the 2018 election — nearly 70% were Black voters. After Kemp encouraged voting location closures, Georgia closed higher percentages of locations than any other state — Black voters made up a significant percentage of the population in several of the top counties where polls were closed.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN TONIGHT’S DEBATE: Tonight, Kemp will mislead and dodge questions on his extreme and dangerous record, and try to take credit for crucial benefits delivered by Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, which he opposed:

• Crime and Public Safety: Kemp will attempt to mislead Georgians into believing he’s successfully taken on crime. But as recently as April, Kemp was already confessing there’s been a “rise in crime we’ve been facing in many communities across Georgia” on his watch. According to FBI crime data, “homicides jumped 55%” in Georgia from 2019-2020, while violent crime rose by 23% and assaults by 33%. Georgia now has the 10th highest murder rate in the U.S. — over 80% of homicides involve a gun in the state.

• Georgia’s Economy: Kemp will try to take credit for Georgia’s economy and the billions in surplus funds the state is currently sitting on. But he won’t mention Democrats’ American Rescue Plan, which he opposed even as it delivered billions to Georgia, boosting state revenues and the state budget. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia’s budget is fueled by “massive federal COVID-19 relief funding.”

• Raising Taxes: One of Kemp’s favorite lies to use on the campaign trail is that Stacey Abrams will raise Georgians’ taxes. But what Kemp won’t tell you is how an MIT economist reviewed Stacey’s plan and came to the conclusion that it’s “based on sound economic and fiscal assumptions and allows for the implementation of policy initiatives without tax increases.” Stacey has said many times that her plans will not raise taxes and while serving as Democratic Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives, she worked to stop a Republican bill that would’ve raised taxes on 82% of Georgia families — the largest tax increase in state history.

• MLB All Star Game: Another go-to Kemp falsehood is his claim that Stacey caused MLB to move the 2021 All Star Game out of Georgia. This claim has been widely disproven, the Associated Press noted: “In fact, she [Stacey] has publicly discouraged boycotts of Georgia, and expressed disappointment when the game was moved and the concert was canceled.” Kemp on the other hand, has “personally called on Georgians to boycott companies when it suited his political agenda” and recently caused the state to lose out on Music Midtown due to his extreme gun agenda. Music Midtown leaving Georgia caused Georgia to lose out on the tens of thousands of visitors and $50 million it brings to small businesses and the state economy.

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