Georgia governor candidates clash over abortion, economy

Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams debated Sunday night for the final time before the Nov. 8 election. Abortion and the economy emerged as core topics of the debate. Kemp refused to categorically promise either way on the topic of abortion policies, saying he instead preferred to decide on specific bills based on their specific merits. Abrams responded that “he did not say he wouldn’t” add more protections for unborn children than Georgia state law already does. She said that she supported abortion until fetal viability.

What about the economy? Kemp claimed credit for higher wages and low unemployment in Georgia and blamed inflation and other economic woes on Biden and the Democratic party. Abrams largely dodged discussing her party’s economic role in the federal government and said Kemp had not helped out enough Georgians.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Stew about being on the ground in Georgia for the debate between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker.