Brian Kemp on Abortion

	Brian Kemp on Abortion

Fetal heartbeat bill: sonogram echoes at six weeks gestation

[As women protested outside the state capitol in Feb. 2019], lawmakers--mostly white, mostly men--argued over HB481, the proposed bill that would add Georgia to a growing list of states passing anti choice legislation. The authors had smartly tagged the law as a "fetal heartbeat" bill, alleging, falsely that the echoes heard in a sonogram at six weeks amounted to proof of life.

Under the new provisions, both the women and her doctor could face criminal penalties for any abortions--even if a woman did not learn about her pregnancy until after the plan had been invoked or if a medical procedure led to a spontaneous abortion.

Despite scientific evidence and statewide outcries from worried women and outraged physicians, on May 7, 2019, Kemp signed the bill into law. He exercised his prerogative as the governor of the state and in the process, went against the will of the majority of the people-49 % who opposed the law and 44% who supported it.

Source: Our Time Is Now, by Stacey Abrams, p.120-1 , Jun 9, 2020

We need to protect the unborn and the born

During debate on the heartbeat bill, I would always start with a simple statement: Georgia is a state that values life. Honestly, it's hard to disagree with that. We live in a place where every person matters - young or old, rich or poor, any race from any place. As a pro-life Governor, I believe that we need to protect the unborn and the born. We have to defend those in the womb and then champion those when they leave the delivery room. Source: 2020 Georgia State of the State address , Jan 16, 2020

Signed fetal heartbeat bill, tax deductions for fetuses

Kemp signed legislation banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. That can be as early as six weeks, before many women know they're pregnant. Kemp said he was signing the bill "to ensure that all Georgians have the opportunity to live, grow, learn and prosper in our great state." The bill also deals with alimony, child support and even income tax deductions for fetuses, declaring that "the full value of a child begins at the point when a detectable human heartbeat exists." Source: NBC News/Associated Press on 2022 Georgia Gubernatorial race , May 7, 2019

Supports "Heartbeat Bill" and tough abortion laws

Abortion: Mostly ban or mostly legal?

Abrams: Legal. Led efforts to weaken 20-week abortion ban & to block TARP (Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers). "Staunch defender of reproduction choices."

Kemp: Ban. Supports "Heartbeat Bill" outlawing abortions after 6 weeks. As governor, will "sign the toughest abortion laws in the country."<

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Georgia Governor race , Nov 1, 2018

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*Other governors on Abortion:*			*Brian Kemp on other issues:*
*GA Gubernatorial:* Brad Raffensperger Chris Carr David Perdue Kandiss Taylor Keisha Lance Bottoms Shane Hazel Stacey Abrams Vernon Jones *GA Senatorial:* Buddy Carter Gary Black Herschel Walker John F. King Jon Ossoff Latham Saddler Mike Collins Raphael Warnock	*Mayoral/Gubernatorial races 2025* (seated Jan. 2026): NJ Governor: Mikie Sherrill (D), U.S. Rep. NJ-11. vs.Jack Ciattarelli (R), State Assemblyman (2011-2018). NYC Mayor: Zohran Mamdani (D), New York State Assembly, 2021-2025. vs.Andrew Cuomo (I), former governor of New York, 2011-2021. vs.Curtis Sliwa (R), CEO of the Guardian Angels. VA Governor: Abigail Spanberger (D), U.S.Rep., VA-7 (2019-2024). vs.Winsome Earle-Sears (R), Lt. Gov. 2022-2026. *Gubernatorial races 2026*: AK: Mike Dunleavy(R,term-limited) vs.Click Bishop(R) vs.Nancy Dahlstrom(R) vs.Tom Begich(D) AL: Kay Ivey(R,term-limited) vs.Doug Jones(D) vs.Tommy Tuberville(R) vs.Will Boyd(D) vs.Yolanda Flowers(D) AR: Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R,for re-election) vs.Fredrick Love(D) AZ: Katie Hobbs(D,for re-election) vs.Andy Biggs(R) vs.David Schweikert(R) vs.~~Karrin Taylor Robson~~(R,withdrew) CA: Gavin Newsom(D,term-limited) vs.Antonio Villaraigosa(D) vs.~~Eleni Kounalakis~~(D,Withdrew to run for state treasurer) vs.Eric Swalwell(D) vs.Tom Steyer(D) vs.Xavier Becerra(D) vs.Zoltan Istvan(L) CO: Jared Polis(D,term-limited) vs.Greg Lopez(R) vs.Michael Bennet(D) vs.Phil Weiser(D) CT: Ned Lamont(D,for re-election) vs.Ryan Fazio(R) vs.~~Jen Tooker~~(R,withdrew) FL: Ron DeSantis(R,term-limited) vs.Byron Donalds(R) vs.David Jolly(R) vs.Jason Pizzo(I) vs.Jerry Demings(D) GA: Brian Kemp(R,term-limited) vs.Brad Raffensperger(R) vs.Chris Carr(R) vs.Keisha Lance Bottoms(D) HI: Josh Green(D) (No opponent yet) IA: Kim Reynolds(R,retiring) vs.Brad Sherman (IA)(R) vs.Randy Feenstra(R) vs.Rob Sand(D) ID: Brad Little(R,for re-election) vs.Terri Pickens(D) IL: J.B. Pritzker(D,for re-election) vs.Darren Bailey(R) KS: Laura Kelly(D,term-limited) vs.Cindy Holscher(D) vs.Jeff Colyer(R) vs.Ty Masterson(R) vs.Vicki Schmidt(R) MA: Maura Healey(D,for re-election) vs.Mike Kennealy(R) MD: Wes Moore(D,for re-election) vs.Dan Cox(R) vs.Christopher Bouchat(R) ME: Janet Mills(D,term-limited) vs.Shenna Bellows(D) vs.Ed Crockett(I) vs.Robert Charles(R)	*Gubernatorial races 2026*: MI: Gretchen Whitmer(D,term-limited) vs.Aric Nesbitt(R) vs.Perry Johnson(R) vs.Jocelyn Benson(D) vs.John James(R) vs.Mike Cox(R) vs.Tom Leonard(R) vs.Mike Duggan(I) vs.~~Garlin Gilchrist~~(D,withdrew) MN: Tim Walz(D,retiring) vs.Jeff Johnson 2026(R) vs.Lisa Demuth(R) vs.Mike Lindell(R) vs.Scott Jensen(R) vs.Amy Klobuchar(D) NE: Jim Pillen(R,for re-election) vs.Lynne Walz(D) NH: Kelly Ayotte(R,for re-election) vs.Jon Kiper(D) NM: Michelle Lujan-Grisham(D,term-limited) vs.Deb Haaland(D) vs.Gregg Hull(R) vs.Steve Lanier(R) NV: Joe Lombardo(R) vs.Aaron Ford(D) NY: Kathy Hochul(D,for re-election) vs.Bruce Blakeman(R) vs.Larry Sharpe(L) vs.~~Antonio Delgado~~(D,withdrew) vs.~~Elise Stefanik~~(R,withdrew) OH: Mike DeWine(R,term-limited) vs.Vivek Ramaswamy(R) vs.Amy Acton(D) OK: Kevin Stitt(R,term-limited) vs.Charles McCall(R) vs.Cyndi Munson(D) vs.Jake Merrick(R) OR: Tina Kotek(D,for re-election) vs.Christine Drazan(R) PA: Josh Shapiro(D,for re-election) vs.Ken Krawchuk(L) vs.Stacy Garrity(R) RI: Dan McKee(D,for re-election) vs.Helena Foulkes(D) vs.Aaron Guckian(R) SC: Henry McMaster(R,term-limited) vs.Jermaine Johnson(D) vs.Nancy Mace(R) vs.Ralph Norman(R) SD: Larry Rhoden(R,for re-election) vs.Dusty Johnson(R) vs.Jon Hansen(R) vs.~~Marty Jackley~~(R,withdrew) TN: Bill Lee(R,term-limited) vs.Marsha Blackburn(R) vs.Carnita Atwater(D) TX: Greg Abbott(R,for re-election) vs.Chris Bell(D) vs.Gina Hinojosa(D) VT: Phil Scott(R) (No opponent yet) WI: Tony Evers(D,retiring) vs.Mandela Barnes(D) vs.Sara Rodriguez(D) vs.Kelda Roys(D) vs.Francesca Hong(D) vs.Tom Tiffany(R) WY: Mark Gordon(R,term-limited) vs.Eric Barlow(R) vs.Megan Degenfelder(R)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]