Austria Johnson | The Valdosta Daily TimesSen. Raphael Warnock visited Valdosta-Lowndes County Democratic Party representatives and voters.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second part of a two-story series looking at statewide elections. The first part looked at the Georgia governor and lieutenant governor races, etc.; it ran in the Sunday, Oct. 9, edition of The Valdosta Daily Times.

PART II

ATLANTA — The Nov. 8 general election is less than five weeks away approaching and several key races such as governor, secretary of state and a slew of congressional seats will be decided.

One of the most eyed races in Georgia is the governor’s race where Democrat candidate Stacey Abrams is challenging Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, for a second time. Georgia’s U.S. Senate has importance for the state and nation as it will likely determine which party will control the U.S. Senate for the next few years.

In addition to other statewide races, seven Georgia congressional seats will be decided and ballots include proposals for two constitutional amendments and two statewide referendum questions.

The last day to register to vote in the election is Oct. 11. People should check their voter registration status or register to vote at https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov

CNHI has put together Georgia Voter’s Guide: 2022 general election for all readers need to know about the upcoming election:

U.S. Senate, Georgia

The U.S. Senate is responsible for voting on bills, resolutions, amendments, motions, nominations and treaties.

Democrat incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock’s election to the seat in a January 2021 runoff election was a shift – Republicans had held the seat since 2005. Former UGA football star Herschel Walker is the Republican nominee facing Warnock in November. Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver is hoping to become the first LGBTQ Georgia senator.

Here are their positions, though not comprehensive, on a few key topics.

Abortion

Though Warnock is a pastor, he identifies as “pro choice” and says he believes health care decisions are a human right and women should be able to make their own health care decisions privately. Walker has been vocal on his support for banning abortion nationwide. Oliver said he is pro choice and supports codifying Roe and Casey while also supporting the Hyde Amendment which prevents government funds being used for abortion.

Gun rights/safety

Walker has touted support of fully funding police and law enforcement so they have adequate staff, equipment and training. Walker has attacked Warnock’s support for ending “cash bail” for nonviolent crimes. Warnock said cash bail makes it harder for someone accused of a crime, specifically lower income Americans, to be released on bail while awaiting a trial During his short tenure, Warnock has supported grants for law enforcement and has expressed support for a bill that would fund training, equipment and mental health support, among others, for local law enforcement. Walker has advocated for securing the southern border to curb immigration. The two candidates both support more investments into the military.

According to Oliver’s website, his priority is ending wars and U.S. intervention in other countries. He wants to end the policy of sending drones around the world and “instead foster more goodwill around the world by defending free trade and free markets.” Oliver said as a gun owner, he believes in the right to self defense from aggression is paramount and opposes strict gun laws, such as “red flag laws,” which allow police or family members to petition a court to prevent someone from carrying a gun if they believe the person presents a danger to themselves or others.

Economy

Walker has not presented any specifics on his plans for addressing the economy, but said if elected, he plans to fight for lower taxes, fewer government regulations and more free-market capitalism. He has also blamed Democrat spending at the federal level as the cause of inflation and high gas and grocery costs, and has spoken against the Inflation Reduction Act, which Warnock voted for in August. The act addressed affordable health care and prescription drugs, climate change and taxing wealthy corporations.

Warnock has vowed to oppose tax breaks that benefit the wealthiest Americans and has advocated for middle and lower class tax breaks. Oliver’s priority, if elected, would be to go line-by-line through the tax and regulatory codes to make it easier to start a new business and remove competitive advantages of larger firms. He wants to cut government spending and work toward a balanced budget to help address inflation.

Websites

Oliver: chaseforgeorgia.com

Walker: teamherschel.com

Warnock: warnockforgeorgia.com

Georgia Secretary

of State

Responsibilities of the secretary’s office include supervising and monitoring elections and providing campaign finance disclosures; managing and preserving public records; providing educational programs about the Capitol; and licensing, monitoring and registering professionals and businesses. Since the 2020 general election, Republican incumbent Brad Raffensperger has faced scrutiny from former President Donald Trump and his supporters — who alleged voter fraud in Georgia due to Trump’s 2020 election loss. He has upheld the election results after several recounts. Democrat Bee Nguyen, a nonprofit director and a current state representative, is challenging Raffensperger, as well as Libertarian candidate Ted Metz, a retired insurance professional.

Elections

Raffensperger boasts “purchasing and deploying (in 2020) modern voting machines across the entire state that could be audited and verified, including a full recount by hand, if necessary.” Raffensperger’s website adds that voter registration has soared under his tenure, with 95% of eligible Georgians registered to vote. A supporter of Georgia’s new controversial voting laws that passed in 2021, he touts being the first state SOS to require photo ID for all forms of voting, including for absentee ballot requests and returns.

Raffensperger has focused his campaign on only allowing Georgia residents to vote in the state’s elections and American citizens voting in the country’s elections.

He supports making ballot ha vesting illegal nationwide and it is now prohibited under the new Georgia law. Ballot harvesting typically entails the gathering and submitting of completed absentee or mail-in ballots by third-party individuals, volunteers or workers.

Nguyen said if elected Secretary of State, she plans to invest in training and resources for all 159 local election boards; prioritize voter education and outreach; using technology, such as text messaging alert systems; and protect the election certification process by upholding the will of the people. She also wants to develop kiosks for voters to submit vote-by-mail applications across Georgia, with a focus on areas with lack of access to broadband.

Metz said he does not support electronic voting systems, ballot drop boxes, ballot harvesting, election funding from private and corporate groups.

He supports voter ID requirements, absentee ballot signature matching, hand-marked paper ballots and prosecution and penalties for unlawful election happenings.

Business

Under Raffensperger, the office has hosted financial literacy seminars and small business seminars. Nguyen said she plans to create a public registry of charities and securities known for fraudulent activities and regulate shell corporations, if elected, and also plans to implement a process to remove barriers for small business owners, particularly minority-owned and practitioners to obtain their licenses. Though not referenced on his website, Metz said in a previous interview he plans to follow the typical Libertarian platform of reducing government involvement and interventions.

Website

Metz: tedmetz.com

Nguyen: beeforgeorgia.com

Raffensperger: bradforgeorgiasos.com

Attorney General

The attorney general acts as the chief legal adviser for the governor and all state agencies, boards and commissions. Among other duties, the AG office represents the state in all civil cases and in all cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Republican incumbent Chris Carr, who was appointed to the seat in 2016 by then-Gov. Nathan Deal, is seeking his second full term after being elected to a full term in 2018. He is being challenged by Democrat Sen. Jen Jordan, a lawyer, and Libertarian candidate Martin Cowen, a former associate probate judge.

Here are the candidates’ priorities:

Carr

Carr has prided himself on fighting against federal mask and vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic and fighting to uphold Second Amendment gun rights. His top priorities include increasing penalties for human traffickers and rescuing victims, attacking Georgia’s gang and opioid crises, prosecuting corrupt officials and upholding Georgia’s new election laws (SB 202) which were approved following the 2020 general election.

He said Georgia’s new election reform, though controversial, “strengthens security, expands access and improves transparency.”

On the day of the Supreme Court’s June 24 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Carr issued a letter to a state court asking that Georgia’s six-week abortion ban be allowed to immediately go into effect.

chriscarrga.com

Cowen

If elected, Cowen said he plans to advocate to end “no knock” warrants, to end qualified immunity for government agents who kill or injure innocent civilians, and advocate to end to civil asset forfeiture without trial and conviction. He said he plans to defend against vaccine mandates and passports, and protect Georgia doctors from persecution by pharmaceutical companies and their government agents for practicing medicine with informed patient consent.

cowenforgeorgia.com

Jordan

A state senator, Jordan’s top priorities include fighting against voter suppression; ensuring environmental laws, regulations and policies are enforced and implemented; strengthening police accountability mechanisms and building community-led public safety strategies; and protecting consumer and economic justice. Jordan has been vocal in her opposition to abortion bans and said if elected, she doesn’t plan to use state resources to prosecute under the new law.

jen4ga.com

Upcoming debates and other candidates

The Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series will host general election debates for the aforementioned races, in addition to agriculture commissioner, insurance commissioner, labor commissioner, state superintendent and several of Georgia’s congressional races.

All debates will be available for viewers to watch live on GPB.org and on The Atlanta Press Club Facebook page at www.fb.com/TheAtlantaPressClub.

Here is the debate schedules for statewide races not highlighted in the Voter’s Guide:

State school superintendent, 12:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17.

The state school superintendent oversees the K-12 public school system and implements policies of the Georgia Department of Education policies of the state Board of Education. Additionally makes recommendations to the DOE on the “welfare and efficiency” of the public school system.

(Incumbent) Richard Woods (R): woodsforsuper.com

Alisha Thomas Searcy (D): searcyforsuperintendent.com

Insurance commissioner, 1:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17.

The Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner oversees the licensing and regulation of insurance companies; ensures that insurance rates, rules and forms comply with state law; investigates suspicions of insurance fraud; and conducts inspections of buildings and houses to prevent fire outbreak.

(Incumbent) John King (R): votejohnking.com

Janice Laws Robinson (D): janiceforgeorgia.com

Agriculture commissioner, 2:45 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17.

As the regulator and monitor of Georgia’s agriculture industry, the commissioner oversees various agriculture departments including administration, animal industry, food safety, fuel & measures, laboratories, plant industry and marketing.

Tyler Harper (R): tylerharperga.com

Nakita Hemingway (D): nakitahemingway.com

David Raudabaugh (L): jointdecisionforgeorgia.com

Labor commissioner, 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18.

The commissioner implements the state’s labor regulations, operates unemployment insurance, training programs, and is responsible for producing statistics and research covering the state’s labor market.

Emily Anderson (L): (no website available)

William Boddie (D): boddieforga.com

Bruce Thompson (R): brucethompsonga.com

The full schedule of upcoming Atlanta Press Club debates can be found at atlantapressclub.org/debates.