Kemp, Abrams fight Round 2 in Georgia’s race for governor

ATLANTA — One of the biggest races on the ballot Tuesday is the race for governor.

Gov. Brian Kemp, who was a developer before serving as a state senator and secretary of state, could clinch another term despite attacks from former President Donald Trump that threatened to snuff out support in his own party.

Stacey Abrams, a lawyer whose 2018 loss to Kemp helped launch her into Democratic stardom, would be the first Black woman to serve as a governor in the United States if she were to win. She seeks to avenge a defeat that she acknowledged while refusing to use the word “concede,” saying Kemp abused his prior position as secretary of state to raise barriers to voting.

Libertarian Shane Hazel is also on the ballot and could force a December runoff by preventing the other candidates from winning an absolute majority.

Channel 2′s Richard Elliot was with Kemp and his family Tuesday morning as they all voted in their local precinct in Oconee County.

After voting, Kemp urged everyone else to do the same.

“We just got five more votes for the home team, and we just want to ask everybody to get out and vote today to keep our state ... the greatest state in the country to live, work and raise our family. We’re so excited that Election Day is here,” Kemp said.

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Following her defeat four years ago, Abrams started laying the groundwork for another run. She formed a forceful voting rights advocacy group called Fair Fight Action and built her own personal wealth as Democrats gobbled up her books and paid to attend her speeches.

Abrams has pledged to tighten Georgia’s gun laws and roll back abortion restrictions, arguing Kemp was far from moderate.

In a one-on-one interview with Channel 2′s Dave Huddleston, Abrams said not to believe the polls. She said you have to look at voter turnout, and that has her very confident.

In her second attempt as governor, Abrams has taken sharp criticism that running for governor is just a stepping stone for a run for the presidency.

She told Huddleston that criticism couldn’t be further from the truth.

“My mission for the last four years, my mission for the next four years, is to win this election and serve the people of Georgia as their governor, and if they’ll have me, to do it for another eight years. We are seeing record turnout among communities that are not included in traditional polling models right now,” Abrams said.

Abrams also said Georgians need a governor who is going to care about everyone and use state money to help everyone.

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Analyst says Kemp, Abrams did what they had to do in final debate ahead of next week’s election Both candidates waded into the issues like the economy and inflation — two topics at the very top of voter concerns.

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