Election 2022: Jordan, Carr gear up for expensive AG race
Leading candidates for Attorney General have more than $1M on hand
The two statewide races dominating Georgia politics in 2022 are the races for Governor and U.S. Senate. But there are several other important elections down the ballot that are attracting lots of money from donors and outside groups, including the race for Attorney General.
Republican incumbent Chris Carr is running for re-election as Democrats look to build on their recent statewide successes. Carr is preparing for an expensive race: he raised more than $800,000 in the last seven months and is entering 2022 with about $1.5 million on hand, according to a campaign filing this week.
Carr was appointed Attorney General by Gov. Nathan Deal in 2016 and won election to a full term in 2018. The race was the second-closest statewide result of the 2018 campaign — after the race for Governor. As Attorney General, Carr has joined lawsuits to overturn the Affordable Care Act and to block President Joe Biden’s order that halted construction of major oil pipelines. He has also been a vocal supporter of S.B. 202, Georgia’s new election law.
Despite former President Donald Trump’s heavy-handedness in Georgia Republican politics, Carr has so far steered clear of Trump’s ire. Unlike Gov. Brian Kemp and Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger, Carr has not drawn any credible primary challengers.
Carr’s likely Democratic opponent will be State Sen. Jen Jordan, an attorney who represents an affluent northern Atlanta district in the Georgia Senate. Jordan reported raising more than $650,000 between in the last seven months and has amassed a campaign bank account of more than $1 million.
The haul is just the latest sign that Jordan is consolidating support for the Democratic nomination. Her main rival in the primary, 2018 nominee Charlie Bailey, announced last month that he will be switching to the race for Lieutenant Governor. Many of his most prominent supporters have since endorsed Jordan, including Rep. Lucy McBath and former Gov. Roy Barnes.
Jordan was first elected to the State Senate in a 2017 special election and has since become a leading voice against some of the most controversial bills passed by the Republican majority, particularly ones that restrict access to abortions. If elected, she would be the first female Attorney General in Georgia history.
The Attorney General is the top law enforcement official in Georgia and also serves as the governor’s chief legal counsel.
Interesting and informative 👍🏾
Well done, Niles!