Stacey Abrams signals she'd maintain Brian Kemp's tax cuts as Georgia governor

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has signaled that if elected as Georgia's governor, she would keep Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's tax cuts that are set to save state residents an estimated $1 billion. 

The Kemp campaign and the Republican Governors Association hammered Abrams on Wednesday, which marked 50 days since Kemp signed what was touted by his office as "the largest income tax cut in state history." They accused Abrams of being "silent" on the matter as Democrats are widely attacked by Republicans as wanting to raise taxes. 

The Abrams campaign told Fox News, "Stacey has made clear she will not raise any taxes, she has clearly laid out how she will pay for her plans, and none of her plans to date or in the future will raise taxes."

When asked specifically if Abrams will commit to maintaining the tax cuts that were passed, a spokesperson replied, "Yes."

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She also turned the tables on Team Kemp, pointing to the governor's suspension of the Peach State's gas tax he signed into law in May, which expires mid-July. 

Abrams is calling for the suspension to extend until the end of the year. 

"Before saying another word on taxes, Kemp should follow Stacey Abrams’ lead by supporting an extension of the gas tax suspension until the end of 2022," the Abrams campaign told Fox News. "Instead, he has indicated he will restore gas taxes to full levels next month, raising gas taxes and gas prices." 

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When asked whether Kemp intends to extend the gas tax suspension, the Kemp campaign told Fox News the governor will "continue to evaluate a further suspension of the gas tax" and will "make the decision soon in consultation with legislative leadership," noting that it amounts to "$170 million" saved per month. 

The Kemp campaign also pushed back on Abrams' assertion that she would not raise any taxes, telling Fox News, "Abrams is rolling out plans to spend billions of taxpayer money and isn’t being honest about how she’d pay for it."

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"Like the liberals she’s beholden to in the Biden Administration, Abrams is using fuzzy math and praying no one notices," Kemp campaign deputy communications director Reagan McCarthy said. "Hardworking Georgians struggling to make ends meet thanks to Democrat policies deserve a straight answer from her on how much their taxes will go up to pay for her campaign ‘promises.’"

"The only candidate in this race refusing to say whether or not they will raise taxes is Brian Kemp," Abrams campaign rapid response director Alex Floyd fired back. "Stacey Abrams’ plans include provisions on how to pay for them — without raising any taxes on Georgians. Meanwhile, Brian Kemp still won’t say whether he will reimpose the gas tax on Georgians at a time of record-high gas prices and a budget surplus made possible by Democrats’ American Rescue Plan."

One of the most-watched races going into the 2022 midterms is the rematch between Kemp and Abrams. In 2018, Kemp defeated Abrams with 50.2% of the vote. Abrams infamously did not formally concede that election. 

Ahead of the May primaries, Kemp was feeling the heat from both sides as former President Trump endorsed GOP challenger David Perdue in a bid to unseat the incumbent governor following a years-long feud over certifying Georgia's elections results that helped hand Joe Biden the presidency in 2020. 

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Kemp ultimately trounced Perdue with a stunning 73.7% of the Republican vote. Perdue conceded the race and offered his support for Kemp. It is unclear whether Trump will bury the hatchet and back Kemp before November.

The latest polls show Kemp having a five-point lead over Abrams, according to the average from RealClearPolitics.