Republican Brian Kemp Holds Strong Against Democrat Stacey Abrams in 2nd Georgia Governor Debate

Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp held strong against Democrat challenger Stacey Abrams in Sunday’s second debate this election cycle.

While Abrams regularly tried to paint Kemp as an extremist hellbent on eliminating voting rights and stripping women of their healthcare, Kemp held his own by citing his impeccable record while calling Abrams out for her extremist positions, from her support for unfettered abortions to her support of Defund the Police.

“Miss Abrams has said that she wants to Defund the Police,” said Kemp. “She wants to eliminate cash bail and have get-out-of-jail-free cards. She continues to serve on the boards of organizations like the Margurite Casey Foundation that actually raises money and gives grants to organizations that support the Defund the Police movement.

“There are 107 sheriffs across this state that are supporting my campaign, because they know I will have their back.”

In response to her lack of sheriff endorsements, Abrams simply referred to them as a “good old boys club” from which she has been excluded.

Stacey Abrams is attacking my record because she doesn't want to talk about her own: profiting from the Defund the Police movement and supporting dangerous policies like ending cash bail. I'll continue to stand with law enforcement to keep our families safe. #gapol #GAGovDebate pic.twitter.com/IZ2reqdolY

— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) October 30, 2022

As she did during the last debate, Stacey Abrams once again refused to support any restrictions on abortions in complete contradiction with the state of Georgia, which supports some restrictions.

“Abortion is a medical choice. As such, a woman should have the ability to make a decision until viability,” she said when asked about restrictions. “That decision about viability should not impact her life or her health. That is a decision that should be made between a doctor and a woman.”

Kemp called out Abrams for refusing to voice abortion restrictions and noted that women in the state of Georgia worked to craft legislation like the fetal heartbeat bill.

Stacey Abrams supports abortion up until the moment of birth.

If she didn't, she would have said so by now.

Stacey Abrams is wrong for Georgia. #gapol #GAGovDebate

— GAGOP (@GaRepublicans) October 30, 2022

Brian Kemp made waves during the 2020 lockdowns by being one of the first states to open for business, during which Stacey Abrams said there was “no legitimate reason” for her state to lift virus restrictions.

“There’s no legitimate reason for reopening the state except for politics, and I think it’s deeply disingenuous he would pretend otherwise,” she said at the time.

“We’re not ready to return to normal,” she added.

“We have people who are the most vulnerable and the least resilient being put on the front lines, contracting a disease that they cannot get treatment for.”

During the debate, Abrams tried to deflect Kemp’s attacks by saying she only advocated “caution.”

“I didn’t say we wanted to have lockdowns, I said we needed caution,” said Abrams. “That’s what I will always urge. When our lives are on the line, when our children’s lives are on the line, we need caution.”

Stacey Abrams fought for lockdowns, mandates, and keeping kids barred from their classrooms.

I fought to protect lives and livelihoods and give Georgians their individual freedom. #gapol #GAGovDebate pic.twitter.com/3VI5NOsS69

— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) October 30, 2022

When the debate segued into Georgia’s voter integrity law, which Abrams and President Biden previously referred to it as “Jim Crow 2.0,” Kemp hammered his opponent for pressuring the MLB to move its All-Stars game from the city of Atlanta.