Gov. Brian Kemp’s reelection campaign must suspend its fundraising until the Republican primary election is decided in May, a federal judge ruled Thursday in a victory for likely Democratic opponent Stacey Abrams.
Georgians First, Kemp’s leadership committee, must wait until a GOP nominee is named before it can start collecting funds again, temporarily halting a major edge the governor had over other candidates. Under state law, the incumbent can collect unlimited donations during his campaign while opponents are limited until they are nominated, prompting criticism from candidates who said Kemp enjoyed an unfair advantage.
“We are pleased the Court both recognized and offered a remedy today for the unconstitutional fundraising advantage Brian Kemp signed into law benefiting himself,” Abrams’s campaign said in a statement about the Thursday ruling. “After months and months of Brian Kemp having exclusive ability to raise unlimited funds as a result of the bill he signed, Kemp will no longer be able to raise these funds while Stacey Abrams and [her leadership committee] One Georgia are denied equal ability to operate under the same rules. We will continue to monitor Brian Kemp’s actions to be sure he is operating within the parameters of both Georgia law and the Constitution.”
STACEY ABRAMS FILES LAWSUIT ALLEGING DISADVANTAGES UNDER FUNDRAISING LAW
This law is “unprecedented” in that it allows the governor to do something no one else can by operating through a leadership committee, Judge Mark Cohen ruled Thursday. As a result, Kemp must wait until after the GOP primary, when he faces former Sen. David Perdue, to raise more money for his reelection bid.
Through a law passed by the Georgia General Assembly last year, incumbents and candidates who have already clinched their parties’ nominations can create “leadership committees” to raise funds without finance limits, among other benefits.
Perdue challenged the law in court, arguing it disadvantaged his campaign. Cohen previously sided with Perdue, ruling in February that Kemp couldn’t use his fundraising money in the primary election but maintained he could continue receiving unlimited funds to go toward the general election in November. The latest ruling halts Kemp’s fundraising altogether until a Republican nominee is named.
Abrams also challenged the state law in March, arguing she should be considered the Democratic Party’s de facto nominee and receive the same fundraising advantages.
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Despite having a leadership committee raring to go, Abrams’s campaign has not received approval to begin accepting unlimited fundraising because she has not been designated as the party nominee, a federal judge ruled in April. Abrams had argued she should be recognized as the Democratic nominee because she didn’t have a primary opponent.
Kemp will face Perdue in the GOP primary on May 24. If Kemp wins, he will face Abrams in November in a rematch election after narrowly defeating her in 2018.
