All eyes were on the state of Georgia for the gubernatorial election in the 2018 midterms. Stacey Abrams, a Democrat, stood a chance at defeating then-Secretary of State, Republican Brian Kemp, paving the way for her to become the first Black woman governor anywhere in the United States.
Because Kemp was Secretary of State, however, he was essentially permitted to oversee his own election. His office purged hundreds of thousands of voters in communities that heavily supported Abrams from the rolls without notification, dashing their chances to vote.
Abrams lost by only a few thousand votes. Kemp ascended to the governor's mansion despite evidence that he'd used his position as secretary to undermine the voting rights of Georgians and assure himself a victory.
Two years later, Kemp is at it again.
This time, he's set his sights on a Georgia Supreme Court seat that will soon be left open with the retirement of Justice Keith Blackwell, who announced in late February that he'd be retiring on November 18—just a few weeks before his six year term came to an end.
Though candidates had already filed paperwork to run for Blackwell's seat on the state's highest court, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger cancelled the election—originally scheduled for May 19—paving the way for Kemp to appoint a Republican justice who would serve on the state's highest court for the rest of Kemp's first term.
Kemp made the announcement in mid-March, and—despite valid arguments against the constitutionality of the move—the decision was upheld in the state Supreme Court by judges who stepped in after five of the Georgia Supreme Court justices recused themselves.
That's why there was no election in Georgia on Tuesday—and why people are livid at Kemp denying Democracy to Georgians yet again.
Today Georgia was supposed to vote to replace a retiring judge in the state's Supreme Court. Instead, Republican G… https://t.co/v8VZeo8dVr— Nate Lerner (@Nate Lerner) 1589915637.0
Fascism comes to Georgia. @BrianKempGA FRAUDULENTLY STEALS the Governor election from @staceyabrams and now elimina… https://t.co/yygRZPMdJR— waltb31 (@waltb31) 1589895152.0
This is straight up anti-Democratic. First he stole the election. Now he packs the Court. I got a lot of love for G… https://t.co/zqBUvHpO2y— Stephen Heidt, PhD (@Stephen Heidt, PhD) 1589899439.0
This is a power grab...we knew it would get worse when Kemp stole the election from Abrams. The idea that the GOP w… https://t.co/EhEAm6iRFu— Adam H. Domby (@Adam H. Domby) 1589902787.0
Then again, voter suppression and subversion of democracy is par for the course for Republican election strategies.
Republicans do not believe in democracy https://t.co/3OhVX6lOX2— rabia O'chaudry (@rabia O'chaudry) 1589897379.0
The real reason so many Republicans who despise Trump put up with Trump is that Trump's utter shamelessness and def… https://t.co/7GW3kgKgNe— Ken Tremendous (@Ken Tremendous) 1589906476.0
Voters are merely a speed bump on the way to Republicans claiming power so they can do favors for their rich friend… https://t.co/QmYk3oBeuL— Dan Pfeiffer (@Dan Pfeiffer) 1589896022.0
Votes aren't the only numbers Kemp is willing to fudge. His office apologized for misleading numbers regarding the virus this past week.