Kemp Refuses to Rule Out Total Abortion Ban as Roe v. Wade Hangs in the Balance

As National Women’s Health Week begins, Brian Kemp is refusing to rule out criminalizing abortion with no exceptions in Georgia if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. After the draft decision on Roe v. Wade leaked, GOP candidates in multiple Georgia races announced their support for criminalizing abortion — even in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life. On Friday, David Perdue called on Kemp to support a total ban on abortion and to hold a special session of the General Assembly to further restrict abortion rights, which Kemp has also not ruled out. The Democratic Party of Georgia released the following statement in response:

“As Georgia Republicans call for criminalizing abortion with no exceptions, our elections will determine if women have the right to make their own health care decisions. Brian Kemp hasn’t ruled out following the lead of Republicans across the nation who are pushing to take away rights Americans have held for half a century, ban birth control, impose cruel restrictions to punish women with jail time for seeking abortions, and threaten to arrest doctors who perform them. While voters deserve to know where Kemp stands, his extreme record and ongoing silence already tells us he’s not on the side of Georgians and our constitutional rights,” said Max Flugrath, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia.

Brian Kemp bragged about signing “the toughest abortion bill in the country” in 2019, which banned abortion before most people even know they are pregnant, and his vocal support for the Texas abortion ban suggests he is prepared to push through an even more extreme ban in Georgia if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Though Kemp has so far refused to offer specifics on actions he’d take, he hasn’t ruled out his fellow GOP candidates’ calls for a total ban on abortion, even in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life.

An overwhelming majority of Georgians support abortion rights and 68% are opposed to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

###