A mashup of Brian Kemp and David Perdue at on the debate stage on Sunday, May 1.

Incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp, left, challenger David Perdue, right, and other Republicans in the Georgia gubernatorial race shared their platforms and criticized rivals during the Atlanta Press Club debates on May 1, 2022.

The panel: 

Dr. Alan Abramowitz — Emeritus professor of political science, Emory University

Dr. Andra Gillespie — Professor of political science & director, James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference, Emory University

Dr. Kurt Young — Department head and professor of political science, Clark-Atlanta University

Patricia Murphy — political reporter and columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

The breakdown:

1. Early voting starts today in Georgia.

  • Last Monday, April 25, was the last day to register to vote.
    • You can check your registration status on the My Voter Page. 
  • You can also look at a list of all the candidates who qualified to be on the ballot, as well as review a blank copy of your ballot.

 

2. Mix of candidates cools down the final governor's debate. 

  • Incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp defended his conservative record on Sunday.
    • Five Republican candidates for governor shared the stage for the first time this election cycle.
  • Donald Trump has endorsed former Sen. David Perdue and will hold a remote rally for his tonight. 
    • Trump has disparaged Kemp after he certified the 2020 election results. 
  • For the first time in the debate cycle, the candidates were not asked about the results of the 2020 election.
  • Read more from GPB News' Stephen Fowler about the race. 

3. A push away from bipartisanship is apparent in congressional debates.

  • In the 10th District, Vernon Jones said he would impeach President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. 
    • Several other issues in that debate included abortion, term limits and inflation.
  • Mike Collins in his closing statement said, "the time for bipartisanship was over."

Professor Young speaks on importance of bipartisanship.

4. Fulton County District Attorney's office to begin jury selection for Trump probe.

  • The jury will look into former President Donald Trump and his allies and their alleged attempts to reverse Georgia’s 2020 election results.
    • Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will seat 23 county residents

Tuesday on Political Rewind: GPB New's Stephen Fowler joins the panel.

Tags: Politics  Georgia  Georgia Politics  Fulton County  Fani Willis  Kemp  Governor Brian Kemp  David Perdue  early voting  Lawmakers