Georgia governor's race: Brian Kemp, David Perdue respond to debate topics

ATLANTA - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former U.S. Sen. David Perdue debated issues on the same stage for the first time Sunday night. 

The two are challenging each other in the Republican primary for the race to become Georgia's governor. 

Kemp is seeking a second term while Perdue is leveraging his endorsement from former President Donald Trump to challenge the sitting governor. 

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Sunday’s debate was one of several scheduled leading up to Georgia’s May 24 primary.

Here are a few of the issues candidates debated. 

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How do GOP candidates' stances on 2020 election differ?

This was perhaps the most heatedly debated topic during Sunday’s first debate between Perdue and Kemp. 

Perdue has aligned with Trump, saying the election was "stolen" from Republican candidates as the result of widespread voter fraud, though that claim is yet to be proven. He's also pointed a finger at Kemp for not intervening. Perdue has accused Kemp of having "sold out" Georgia voters by refusing to call a special state legislative session to investigate or overturn the election.

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Perdue continued this refrain in his first comments on Sunday.

"Let me be very clear tonight, the election in 2020 was rigged and stolen," Perdue said. 

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Federal and state election officials and Trump’s own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the election was tainted. The former president’s allegations of fraud were also rejected by courts, including by judges Trump appointed.

Kemp said he was required by state law to certify the results and has repeatedly said any other course would have invited endless litigation.

Kemp accused Perdue of covering up his loss in the 2020 runoff for his senate seat.

"I have followed the law and the constitution, you have a candidate who is going to attack my record all night tonight because they didn’t have a record to beat Jon Ossoff," Kemp said. 

Kemp indicated he placed investigations into voter fraud with the "proper authorities," but didn’t directly answer whether election investigators saw evidence for fraud that merited action. 

Kemp has been an advocate for the 2020 bill that overhauled several election procedures in Georgia, including limiting the number of ballot drop boxes and requiring photo ID to vote by mail. 

Who do the candidates believe stands the best chance at beating Stacey Abrams?

Perdue and Kemp argue they're the best opponent to defeat the lone Democrat running for governor for the second time in four years.

Kemp beat Abrams by roughly 60,000 votes out of nearly 4 million cast in 2018.

Perdue criticized Stacey Abrams when he announced he would run for governor, saying he will make sure she "is never governor of Georgia." 

"Look, I like Brian, this isn't personal. It's simple. He has failed all of us and cannot win in November," Perdue stated in his announcement video.

During Sunday’s debate, Perdue argued only he can win votes from Trump diehards to beat Abrams.

"He has divided us," Perdue said of Kemp. "He will not be able to beat Stacey Abrams. And if we want to protect our freedom and our values, we have to vote and we have to make sure that Stacey is never our governor."

During Sunday’s debate, Kemp called the 2022 midterm election a "fight to save the soul of our state."

"I will work every single day, and so will Marty and the girls, to make sure Stacey Abrams is never your next governor and president," he said. 

Kemp said touted his record as a better way to defeat Democrat Stacey Abrams than endless litigation of past elections.

"That is a record that will beat Stacey Abrams in November, not looking in the rearview mirror," Kemp said.

What are GOP candidates' stances on law enforcement?

The debate of how the state can support its law enforcement agencies has sparked controversy between Republican candidates.

Perdue said Georgia is dealing with a "runaway situation." He held Kemp responsible for Georgia State Patrol’s staffing shortages. Kemp said the next graduating class of troopers will Georgia State Patrol will reach the size the staff was when Kemp took office. 

Prior to Sunday’s debate, Kemp joined dozens of state lawmakers in denouncing Perdue, who made comments about the Georgia State Patrol no longer being considered "elite." He promised to strengthen the state police as governor. 

"It's not considered the elite group that it always was," Perdue said Tuesday. "When I was a kid growing up in Georgia, that's what all the county sheriff's deputies and everybody wanted to aspire to. They wanted to become a state patrol. This needs to be rebuilt.

"We've got to get our state patrol back to the elite level that it always was. Somehow it's been left to deteriorate by a lack of leadership from the Governor's Office, in my opinion."

Perdue tried to clarify his statements on Twitter, writing:

"Our officers are strong, our Governor is weak. Our law enforcement heroes deserve better leadership at the top. Murders are up 40% in Atlanta. We have fewer troopers today than when Kemp was elected. People don’t feel safe. Governor, stop deflecting and start fixing the problem."

Kemp has touted the state's crime suppression unit, comprised of law enforcement officers from Georgia State Patrol, the Motor Carrier Compliance Division, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Community Supervision and local agencies such as the Atlanta Police Department and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.

"We have arrested 450 people that had outstanding warrants because of our good work," Kemp said. 

How should Georgia students be taught about slavery, reconstruction?

Kemp said history lessons need to be based on "facts" not "ideology." He tied in his bill to eliminate mask requirements in schools as proof of his defense of teachers. 

"We have been fighting for educators and we have been fighting for parents," Kemp said. "We believe here in Georgia, the parents know better than the government."

Perdue argued Kemp hasn’t done enough to prevent school districts from "indoctrinating" students into political ideologies. 

How would GOP candidates change state income tax?

Perdue has promised a gradual elimination of the state income tax.

Kemp in 2022 signed a bill providing income tax refunds to Georgians amid a budget surplus.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.