ATLANTA – Much of Sunday’s debate between the two Democrats challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District focused on McBath’s absence from the stage.
McBath, who declined to participate in the debate sponsored by the Atlanta Press Club, was represented by an empty podium.
“It’s important that we have leadership that is present and willing to speak,” said Cobb County Commissioner Jerica Richardson.
“It’s a sign of immature leadership,” added state Rep. Mandisha Thomas of South Fulton. “You have to show up for the people you represent.”
Richardson and Thomas are opposing McBath’s bid for a fourth two-year term. The winner of the May 21 Democratic primary will face Republican Jeff Criswell in the general election in November.
Besides criticizing McBath’s decision not to participate in the debate, both challengers also noted that the incumbent is running in a new district with many voters she doesn’t current represent. McBath chose to run in the 6th District after the General Assembly’s Republican majorities redrew her current 7th District north into heavily Republican counties.
The redrawn 6th District includes Democrat-friendly central and southern Fulton counties, south Cobb, eastern Douglas and northern Fayette counties,
Thomas said six of the 16 cities in the district also are inside the state House district she has represented during the last four years.
“I know what this district looks like,” she said.
Thomas and Richardson agreed on many of the issues raised during the debate, supporting college students’ right to protest against U.S. support for the war Israel launched on Palestinians in Gaza after the terrorist group Hamas massacred Jewish civilians without warning last October. The war has killed more than 34,000 civilians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
The two challengers also said they support the $95 billion spending package Congress passed last week that includes aid to Ukraine and Israel as well as legislation added to the bill forcing a Chinese company to sell its interest in TikTok or face a federal ban.
“There are absolutely some restrictions (on TikTok) that can be put in place,” Richardson said.
Both also called for the state and federal government to look for ways to regulate the use of artificial technology, Thomas pointing to legislation she introduced in the Georgia House this year to prohibit insurance companies from basing coverage decisions on data obtained through AI technology.
“There needs to be an overarching AI privacy act on the federal level,” Thomas said.
“There are some serious repercussions to how quickly it’s growing,” Richardson added. “With any technology, there comes a good side and a bad side.”
Sunday’s televised debate, which was recorded, will air live on Georgia Public Broadcasting on Monday at 7 p.m. or watch on Facebook.
This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Capitol Beat.
