ATLANTA — Three of the top Democratic candidates for governor gathered on Wednesday to debate issues affecting all Georgians.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond debated affordability, healthcare, the economy and more.
While the three candidates tend to agree on major issues, they differ in how they would accomplish their goals.
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All three said they would repeal Georgia’s heartbeat bill, which bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, and would expand Medicaid.
“I’ve been behind enemy lines on this issue," Duncan said. “I tried to look at opportunities to improve our healthcare system in Georgia as a former Republican, and you can’t do it without expanding Medicaid.”
“In my first 100 days in office, one of the first things I will do is to begin to prepare our state agencies for that expansion,” Bottoms said. “I do believe this is a bipartisan issue.”
“The right governor, Michael Thurmond, sitting in the right seat will appropriate the money to get it done, and, by the way, we won’t necessarily need new money,” Thurmond said.
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These three are not the only Democrats on the ballot during next month’s primary election. Those who did not participate include Olu Brown, Amanda Duffy, Jason Esteves and Derrick Jackson.
Republicans looking to win the governor’s seat include Attorney General Chris Carr, Clark Dean, Rick Jackson, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Gregg Kirkpatrick, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Tom Williams and Ken Yasger.
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