ATLANTA — Former Sen. David Perdue’s entrance into the Georgia governor’s race makes an already hot political season even hotter.
The Georgia’s governor’s race and Senate race are expected to draw big attention and big dollars, likely making them the most expensive races in the country next year.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Justin Gray learned Monday there are several reasons for this.
You have former President Donald Trump personally recruiting challengers for Georgia’s governor and Senator.
You also have one of the biggest Democratic stars in the nation in Stacey Abrams.
And then the two incumbents who have proven to be successful fundraisers and vote-getters in Kemp and Warnock.
All eyes once again are going to be on Georgia in 2022 and that means money will be pouring in.
Within minutes of Perdue entering the race for governor, a leadership PAC supporting Kemp released an anti-Perdue ad.
A short time later, the Kemp campaign debuted an ad that uses the exact same music but attacks Abrams instead.
“We’re going to be bombarded by TV ads basically,” said Alan Abramowitz, Emory University professor emeritus.
RELATED STORIES:
- David Perdue: Former Senator announces official run for Georgia governor
- Former Pres. Trump weighs in on Georgia governor’s race
- Stacey Abrams announces second run for Georgia governor
Abramowitz said with Warnock defending his Senate seat, the race could actually end up costing even more with control of the senate in the balance.
“It’s going to be kind of similar to what we saw in the runoff election … when the entire country was watching Georgia,” Abramowitz said.
In the governor’s race, the Kemp campaign told Gray that it already has more than $13 million cash on hand.
Abrams’ campaign won’t release specific numbers, but a spokesperson told Gray they “had a very successful launch.”
University of Georgia professor Charles Bullock said the money will keep flowing.
“These candidates have an ability to raise money not just here in Georgia but nationally. So the sky is the limit on the amount of money they can bring in and spend,” Bullock said.
And it’s not just the big races. Gray pulled House of Representatives FEC data.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is running again in a safe Republican district, is still in the Top 10 of the entire House in fundraising, raising more than $6 million this year.
“She may use that to enhance her position within the Republican Caucus by finding people who agree with her in other states and helping get them elected,” Bullock said.
With Georgia’s new election law, it makes it even easier for candidates for some offices to raise money. There are limits to what you can donate directly to a candidate.
But the new law allows what are called leadership committees that can collect unlimited donations from individuals.
RELATED NEWS:
©2021 Cox Media Group
