As the midterm elections are days away, the Georgia gubernatorial race between Democrat Stacey Abrams and the current Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has taken a spotlight after the debate between the two candidates on Sunday in which Abrams claimed that Georgia’s sheriffs were “good ole boys” and specifically targeting black people.
In response to Abrams’ comments, sheriffs across the state have been criticizing her and the sheriff of Barrow County, which is northeast of Atlanta, said he found her statements to be “vile and disgusting,” Fox News reported.
In the Sunday debate, the predominant issue discussed was crime and law enforcement in Georgia.
Kemp pointed out that while Abrams wanted to defund the police, “there are 107 sheriffs across this state that are supporting my campaign because they know I will have their back. They also know that I will be on the frontlines standing beside them to go after violent criminals, street racers, street gangs and human traffickers.”
Abrams responded by saying she does not and never has believed in defunding the police and berated the 107 sheriffs supporting Kemp.
“As I have pointed out before, I am not a member of the ‘good ole boys’ club. So, no, I don’t have 107 sheriffs who want to be able to take black people off the streets, who want to be able to go without accountability,” Abrams said.
Abrams said that the state needed a governor that both defends law enforcement and the people of Georgia.
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But Abrams has been facing backlash for these comments from Georgia’s law enforcement community, Fox News reported.
Even the Georgia Sheriffs Association weighed in on the situation following Abrams’ debate comments.
“Sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and other Georgia law enforcement officers do not seek to detain or arrest individuals based upon race. We do seek to identify and make cases against violators of the traffic and criminal laws of our state in an effort to protect all Georgians and others. To state or imply otherwise is grossly inaccurate, divisive and dangerously misleading to the public,” the association said in a statement it issued to Fox News.
Meanwhile, other individuals have also heavily criticized Abrams’ stance in the debate.
Sheriff Janis Mangum of Jackson County, which is northeast of Atlanta, told Fox News that she was “disgusted” by what she heard from Abrams in the debate.
“I don’t care as a sheriff what color your skin is. We take an oath to serve and protect the people and enforce the laws of the state of Georgia. And that’s what we do every day.
“It was an insult to the Georgia sheriffs that are supporting him and all law enforcement… I’ve been in this business 36 years, and I have never done anything to tarnish my badge, and my fellow sheriffs are good people that are supporting him. And I was just kind of disgusted to hear it… I don’t even know what to say, it’s just wrong. It’s just absolutely wrong,” Mangum said.
Barrow County’s sheriff, Jud Smith, told Fox he agreed with Mangum and was upset that Abrams labeled many of the state’s sheriffs as “good ole boys” which could connotate that they are white supremacists.
“Her comments were vile and disgusting, and it just goes to show you that her camp, her team are vilifying and demonizing law enforcement. And it’s not just a dig on sheriffs. It’s a dig on every law enforcement officer in the state, whether they support her or not… At this point, I think she’s just grasping at straws,” Smith said.
Both Kemp and Abrams continued to note that they were proponents of public safety and finding ways to lower crime rates.
But the criticism in response to Abram’s comments has been eclipsing some of her claims throughout the debate of being a supporter of law enforcement and public safety.
Many have also taken to social media to denounce Abrams’ statements and her record when it comes to support for law enforcement or lack thereof.
“Reminder: Stacey Abrams literally serves on the board of an organization that promotes defund the police,” Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee tweeted.
Reminder: Stacey Abrams literally serves on the board of an organization that promotes defund the police.
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) October 31, 2022
RNC Research also tweeted that Abrams does in fact have a record of connection with the defund the police movement, despite her claiming the opposite.
“Stacey Abrams falsely claims, ‘I did not say and nor do I believe in defunding the police.’ Actually, more than 100 Georgia sheriffs have CONDEMNED Abrams over her ties to a ‘defund the police’ foundation,” RNC Research tweeted.
Stacey Abrams falsely claims, “I did not say and nor do I believe in defunding the police.”
Actually, more than 100 Georgia sheriffs have CONDEMNED Abrams over her ties to a “defund the police” foundation. pic.twitter.com/kCN5jTAZvN
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 30, 2022
Abrams is still behind in the polls, according to FiveThirtyEight.
As of Tuesday, Kemp was at 50.9 percent in the polls with Abrams trailing about six points behind at 44.3 percent.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
