Kemp and Purdue debate, looking back to 2020 and forward to Abrams

Mr Kemp doubled his support for a bill banning the teaching of “divisive concepts” of race and history, saying Republicans in the state “passed this law to ensure our children are not indoctrinated in our schools”. and that curricula should focus on “facts, not someone’s ideology.”

But Mr Purdue accused Mr Kemp of relinquishing his responsibility to protect students, parents and teachers. “They need to make sure that the awakened mob does not take over the schools, and you have left them at a high level,” he said, saying that schools in Atlanta “teach children that voter identification is racist.”

Answering a question about Latin American voters, Mr Purdue criticized Mr Kemp’s achievements in immigration, recalling a 2018 advertising campaign in which Mr Kemp promised to use his own pickup truck to “collect illegal immigrants”. “.

“Governor, what happened?” Is your pickup damaged? ”Mr. Purdue asked.

Mr Kemp said the Covid-19 pandemic had intervened, saying “lifting” people would only help spread the infection in the state – and then reminded voters once again of Mr Purdue’s defeat last year. year.

“The fact is, if you hadn’t lost your race to John Osof, we wouldn’t have lost control of the Senate and we wouldn’t have the disaster we have in Washington right now,” Kemp said.

Several clear political rifts have emerged over Georgia-specific issues.

The two had opposing views on a new electric truck factory being built by Rivian Automotive in the state. Mr Kemp praised the project for the thousands of jobs it is expected to create, while Mr Purdue cited an investment by Democratic mega-donor George Soros to dismiss Rivian as an “awakened company”, saying the project would divert tax dollars of Georgians in Mr Soros’s pocket.

Mr Purdue has attacked Mr Kemp from several angles over rising crime in Atlanta, saying the governor has reduced the size of Georgia’s state patrol and blamed him for failing to support the efforts of some residents of Atlanta’s affluent neighborhood. Buckhead worried about the rise of violent crime to separate from the city.