Democratic governors make a play for Georgia’s business

August 4, 2022

Also in today’s edition of Swing State Georgia:

• Democrats hope for abortion boost in November.

• Outside group urges uniform plans on early voting.

• Republicans take aim at climate plans in Congress.

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First came the extraordinary letter from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy urging seven name-brand companies to uproot from Georgia and head north to protect employees from anti-abortion policies.

Then came North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s plea for Music Midtown to cross state lines after the two-day festival was canceled because of Georgia’s permissive gun laws. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak quickly followed up with his own invitation to move the event out west.

To top it off, California Gov. Gavin Newsom pressured Hollywood film executives upset with Georgia’s abortion limits to “walk the walk” and pull out of the state.

In all, four Democratic governors have taken aggressive steps to siphon business and investment away from Georgia. Each have blamed Gov. Brian Kemp’s policies on guns, abortion and cultural issues in ways that boost Stacey Abrams’ rematch.

All echo her argument that Music Midtown’s demise could be a taste of what’s to come.

Georgia Republicans, of course, aren’t buying that narrative. Kemp spokesman Cody Hall said the “doomsday rhetoric” falls flat when contrasted with job growth and investment on the governor’s watch.

“Abrams’ schtick about Kemp costing Georgia’s economy has been proven wrong at every turn,” he said.

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DEBATE PREP. We brought you the news late Tuesday that Republican Senate hopeful Herschel Walker declared he would participate in an Oct. 14 debate – just not one of the three debates that U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock has already accepted.

The maneuvering has left Warnock with a decision. He can continue to insist on participating only in the trio of showdowns he accepted. Or he can swallow his misgivings and accede to Walker’s demand. It depends on how badly he wants to meet his rival face-to-face.