HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — 13WMAZ sat down with the leading Republican Gubernatorial candidates ahead of the May primary to learn why they are running and why they believe they alone can win in November.
“I'm doing it because I think the people of Georgia need to have an alternative," said David Perdue.
That's the former U.S. Senator's response on his decision to challenge incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp in the May 24 Republican Primary.
“This is unusual for me,” said Perdue. “It's outside my character to run against a fellow Republican -- an incumbent governor -- first time in the history of Georgia politics it's ever been done.”
His entrance into the race set off a debate about whether a contentious Perdue-Kemp primary could benefit Stacey Abrams in November.
“People say, 'David, you can't run against an incumbent. You'll divide the party,'” he said. “Well, the party's already divided, so what we want to do is get somebody in there from June to November who can unite us.”
The former senator is back in the political arena a little over a year after he lost the Jan. 2021 runoff to Democrat Jon Ossoff. He picked up more votes than Ossoff in the Nov. 2020 general election -- 2,462,617 to 2,374,519 -- but not enough to avoid a runoff.
“I got caught by a few thousand votes by this 50% rule. Otherwise, in every other state but one, I would have been reelected in November,” said Perdue.
He's part of a lawsuit claiming Fulton County counted fraudulent or counterfeit ballots in Nov. 2020, even though investigations found no evidence of voter fraud.
“I'm not trying to undo an election, but I'm trying to figure out what happened and make sure it never happens again," said Perdue.
He also doesn't buy into claims Georgia’s new election laws make it difficult for certain segments of the population to vote.
“In 2020, more people voted, more Democrats voted than any other time in Georgia history. I got more votes than any Republican in Georgia history, so this voter suppression thing is not backed up with any facts at all," said Perdue.
Now, months away from the Republican primary, Perdue believes he can separate himself from Gov. Kemp.
“I've learned to do things a little differently in an unorthodox way, and that's what this race is really about,” he said reflecting on his business background. “This is about a 'people vs. politician race.' Brian Kemp has been in office for 20 years. My question to the voters in Georgia in the primary is, 'If he were able or willing to bring us together, wouldn't he have done it already?'”
Perdue admits the Peach State is doing well economically and credits it to President Donald Trump.
“We're riding the economic wave that Donald Trump created -- don't let anybody kid you on that,” Perdue said. “I was a part of that. We helped work that agenda. We implemented regulations, energy, taxes, and we saved our community banks and we helped six-and-a-half million people pull themselves out of poverty.”
When asked why voters should choose Perdue instead of the current Republican governor, Perdue did not mince words: “Because I'm the only Republican that can beat Stacey Abrams.”
Polling of 872 registered voters conducted by the University of Georgia Survey Research Center for the Atlanta Journal Constitution shows as of mid-January 2022, Perdue would beat Stacey Abrams, 47% to 43%. That same poll shows Gov. Kemp would also beat Abrams, but by a wider margin (48% to 41%).
However, other polls conducted by Quinnipiac University during the same time show Perdue and Abrams tied at 48%, while Kemp edges Abrams by 2 points (49% to 47%).
The general primary election date is May 24, 2022. Voters must register by April 25, 2022.
The winner of that Republican primary will face off against the presumptive Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams on November 8, 2022. Currently, Abrams is the sole Democratic candidate for Governor.
The general primary election date is May 24, 2022. Voters must register by April 25, 2022.
The winner of that Republican primary will face off against the presumptive Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams on Nov. 8, 2022. Currently, Abrams is the sole Democratic candidate for governor.
If you missed Wednesday's sit-down interview with Gov. Kemp, you can find it below.
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