Time now for our weekend briefing. There are just over four weeks
left until the midterm elections. We've already focused on the races
and Florida and Pennsylvania on this program are focused today is
Georgia. The governor's race is a rematch of 2018 competitive and
contested election when Republican governor Brian Kemp edged out
Democrats Stacey Abrams by just under 55,000 votes.
In the States Senate race We've got an unfolding scandal Republican
candidate Herschel Walker, who is a hardline abortion opponent. He's
denying reports that he paid for former girlfriend's abortion. Back
in 2009. Walker is challenging incumbent Democratic Senator The Reverend
Raphael Warnock. Mitchell is Washington correspondent for The Atlanta
Journal Constitution. And she joins us Now to talk about all of this
to you. It's great to see you.
Thanks for having me thing. So the Walker campaign as you know, it
fired its political director at the end of this past week, with about
a month to go until the election. How How is this scandal resonating
among voters? Because even before this, Herschel Walker had issues
as a candidate, there were accusations of domestic violence. He had
problematic TV interviews where he didn't seem to grasp basic policy
issues.
But Republicans looking at the polling they've stuck by him,
and I still think the vast majority of Republican voters in Georgia
are planning to stick by Herschel Walker. You know, we see them saying,
you know, he's denied it, and that's enough for me. We know that
a lot of Republican voters still think he's the person that will
best represent their interests in Washington.
Now what we're looking at is those voters who may be a little bit
in the middle, more moderate. Or perhaps even some of those conservatives
who, um are sway able, if they feel like a candidate is not living
up to those values. Those, uh, family principles that some conservative
voters are really, really serious about in Georgia also has split
ticket voting, and there's a question as to whether or not people
might come out and vote for Kemp, the Republican running for governor
and then war.
Not the Democrat as you mentioned running for the Senate seat.
So, you know, While Republicans have come to Walker's defense as
you mentioned, how have worn not gonna Democrats reacted to responded
to this scandal involving Herschel Walker Warnock in general has
avoided weighing in too much You know, in his public events the last
couple of days, his prepared remarks he hasn't focused on the recent
scandals at all.
However, he's done media gaggles where he has been asked about it
and what he said very much for the most part is, Hey, what I hear
is disturbing to me, but this is going to be for the voters to decide.
Well, let's talk about the governor's race a bit more because we've
got Democrats Stacey Abrams, she has trailed Republican Governor
Brian Kemp.
Throughout the campaign trail him in terms of polling. She's still
within striking distance, but she's she's down by a greater margin
than when she lost to him back in 2018. So why has this year's election
been more of a challenge for her?
So I think there are a lot of factors at play. But the biggest one
is Stacey Abrams is no longer running for an open seat against someone
who is trying to build name recognition statewide, just like she
is. She's now running against an incumbent who voters know and many
voters will say, you know.
I'm doing all right. Things seem to be going okay for me, then do
we need a change? We also know that the The enthusiasm factor isn't
there, but not that people aren't fired up about those putting or
that there's something against Stacey Abrams. I think she's just
not the fresh new voice that she was four years ago because again
People now know Stacey Abrams as well. And so I don't necessarily
think it's
People are saying, I have turned my back on Stacey Abrams. I just
think some of the factors that helped fuel her campaign four years
ago aren't as much in play as they are as they were. Then we've talked
about some of the personalities in this race. Let's talk a bit about
the policies. I mean, what what has been the central issue for Georgians
so far heading into the midterms?
So we have done a lot of formal and informal polling at the Atlanta
Journal Constitution, and what we're seeing in Georgia is what we're
seeing playing out across the country, which is that inflation the
economy. Those pocketbook issues are number one among voters now
what also motivates voters, maybe not number one, but also important
to them are things like climate change?
Abortion rights crime. Um those are still important, but the number
one driving factor and this is for voters, regardless of party, regardless
of political political affiliation is the economy Mitchell of the
Atlanta Journal Constitution. Joining us for our weekend briefing.