- Democratic primary voters will choose between Charlie Bailey and Kwanza Hall on June 21 for the runoff election.
- Kwanza Hall did not attend the debate.
- The winner of the runoff will face Republican Burt Jones in the November 8 general election.
The Gist
Kwanza Hall did not show up to a planned Atlanta Press Club debate with Lt. Governor opponent Charlie Bailey.
What’s Happening
Bailey, who boasts the endorsement of party leader Stacey Abrams slammed his opponent as “not deserving” of the nomination and pitched himself to Georgia voters as the best candidate to face Republican Burt Jones in November.
Hall, who received 30.1% of the vote in the primary compared to Bailey’s 17.6%, did not respond to an invitation to participate in the debate, according to organizers. His campaign has not commented publicly on his no-show.
Bailey said Hall was “not deserving” of the nomination given his absence from the debate.
“His not being here is a pattern of a lack of respect for voters, it’s the pattern of an unserious person,” Bailey said, adding, “if you cannot stand up to the voters, answer the questions of a free press you are not prepared to be Lt. Governor.”
Bailey, who grew up on a cattle farm, pitched himself as most suited for the position of Lt. Governor, which in addition to being the number two role to the Governor’s office, presides over the state senate.
Click the image above to see Charlie Bailey speaking to the press after the debate (State Affairs).
During the one-man “debate,” Bailey said Republicans “give a lot of lip service” to rural Georgia and called out the lack of rural broadband access, lack of tuition-free technical schools, and rural hospitals as policy priorities for him.
Bailey also touted his bonafides as a prosecutor, he was a Senior District Attorney for Fulton County, as qualifications for the office.
“We need someone who cares about justice and has a career getting justice,” he said.
Bailey also took shots at his would-be Republican opponent Burt Jones, the only Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for state office to win in the primaries last month. “I think Burt Jones and Donald Trump are out of step with the voters of Georgia,” he said, slamming Jones as “authoritarian” and noting that Jones’ politics “are the politics of hate and division.”
What’s Next
The runoff election is June 21. Early voting begins June 13. The last day to request a mail-in ballot is June 10.
Graphic by Brittney Phan for State Affairs.
Join the Conversation
Watch the debate on YouTube.
Charlie Bailey is on Twitter: @Charlie4georgia and on Facebook.
Kwanza Hall is on Twitter: @KwanzaHall and on Facebook.
What do you want to know about the Lt. Governor’s runoff? Email [email protected] or on Twitter: @Alemzs.
Read this story for free.
Create AccountRead this story for free
By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms of Service and acknowledge our Privacy Policy.
Already a member? Login here
Georgia Sine Die 2023: A recap
If you missed all the action Wednesday – or Sine Die, the 40th and final day of Georgia’s 2023 legislative session – check out our blog below. Sine Die (“sigh-knee dye”) went by in a blur under the Gold Dome of the Statehouse as the General Assembly worked to get their lingering bills passed and …
Last day, last chance this legislative session for a host of bills: A preview
A bit of horse-trading and hostage-taking typical of the waning days of the legislative session has been happening on the homestretch to Sine Die (pronounced “sigh-knee dye”), the 40th and final day of the state’s legislative session. Here are some bills we’ll be following on Wednesday during the fast and furious work that will take …
OPINION: It’s time for Georgia to create real second chances
As submitted to State Affairs. The opinions expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of State Affairs. The copy has been edited for clarity and accuracy. I was born and raised in south Georgia, the youngest of seven kids. My mom — …
Food insecurity in Georgia is huge, and a Senate bill hopes to bring parties together to figure out how to fix it
A two-year effort to tackle food insecurity in Georgia may be coming to fruition. The General Assembly is now moving on SB 177, a bill to create a Food Security Advisory Council that would find ways to get more healthy food to economically disadvantaged people in underserved areas. It began in early 2021, when Sen. Harold …