Attorney General
The elected attorney general represents the state of Georgia as the top legal supervisor, advisor, and enforcer of the state’s constitution. Roles include providing opinions on legal questions asked by the state’s agencies and departments, representing Georgia in felony or civil cases, and initiating criminal actions on behalf of the state.
On the issues
Priorities
What priorities or key issues will you address if elected to this office?
Jen Jordan, Democrat
If elected, I will be an Attorney General that represents the people of Georgia. My top priorities will be keeping our communities safe from violence, protecting women’s reproductive rights, and cracking down on public corruption.
Chris Carr, Republican
The Chris Carr campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Beating Stacey Abrams' false claims in court, Defending Georgia's election reform against the Biden DOJ, Stopping vaccine & mask mandates, Putting human traffickers behind bars and rescuing underage victims, Attacking Georgia's gang crisis, Prosecuting corrupt public officials, Fighting federal overreach, Cracking down on elder abuse, Combating opioid abuse, Protecting consumers, Keeping government transparent
Martin Cowen, Libertarian
I am opposed to no-knock warrants, civil asset forfeiture, and qualified immunity.
I support the freedom of health care professionals to advise and treat their patients with informed consent in accordance with their professional judgment, and to be free from complying with mandates from the GA Dept. of Public Health.
Experience
What key experiences would you bring to this role?
Jen Jordan, Democrat
I have extensive courtroom experience, legislative experience, and a track record of winning difficult battles. As an experienced litigator with over 20 years of experience, I have dedicated my career in private practice to fighting for Georgians who had been left behind. I’ve taken on predatory payday lenders, a big insurance company, and even Brian Kemp when he released the private information of every voter in the state in the 2015 “Peach Breach.” I also challenged Georgia’s first voter ID law in 2005, successfully delaying its implementation so that thousands of voters could obtain identification. In 2016, I lost a major case in which I represented a young woman who had been sexually assaulted while left unsupervised following a medical procedure. It was then that I realized I needed to do more to fight for women and families in this state, so I decided to run for the State Senate—and I won, flipping a longtime Republican seat and ending the Republican supermajority. I have fought for environmental justice, criminal justice reform, voting rights, and reproductive justice in the State Senate. All of these experiences have prepared me to serve as Georgia’s next Attorney General.
Chris Carr, Republican
The Chris Carr campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Chris Carr has served as Georgia’s Attorney General since 2016 with a mission of protecting Georgians’ lives, livelihoods and liberty.
As Attorney General, Chris has built a strong, conservative record of prosecuting criminals, keeping the economy open, defending Georgia’s election integrity law, supporting law enforcement, protecting Georgians’ liberties, going after fraud and corruption, and fighting back against the liberal Stacey Abrams-Joe Biden agenda.
Chris was appointed Attorney General in 2016 by Governor Nathan Deal, and in 2018, he was elected statewide to a full, four-year term. Chris is now seeking reelection in 2022 to another four-year term.
Martin Cowen, Libertarian
I have studied Freedom for 50 years. Freedom is the protection of private property by the rule of law.
COVID-19 and the Criminal Justice System
COVID-19 has hit prisons and jails across the country hard. Georgia has the third highest incarceration rate (968 per 100,000 people) in the U.S. and is not publicly releasing data on the number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 among the incarcerated population. What role does the Attorney General play in ensuring that our criminal justice system is humane?
Jen Jordan, Democrat
Our system of justice needs fundamental reform at every level. As our state’s top legal official, the Attorney General can lead on reforms by providing much-needed oversight and leadership. One of my first actions as attorney general will be to launch an investigation into the conditions within Georgia’s correctional system. Senator Ossoff has led an investigation at the federal level, but it’s unacceptable that we must rely on our federal delegation to investigate a state-run system. I will make it my priority to crack down on corruption, keep Georgians safe, and make government work for the people.
Chris Carr, Republican
The Chris Carr campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. No information was found on the campaign website related to this question.
Martin Cowen, Libertarian
Most crimes are victimless crimes. Only crimes with victims such as murder, rape, and robbery should exist. I am very alarmed by murders in GA prisons and the AG’s office will allocate resources to this travesty.
Reproductive Healthcare
What is your position on abortion? Do you support enforcement of Georgia’s 6-week abortion ban (H.B. 481)? Should Roe v Wade and Casey v Planned Parenthood be overturned by the Supreme Court?
Jen Jordan, Democrat
I am unequivocally committed to protecting women’s reproductive healthcare, including the fundamental right to access an abortion. Every person should have access to safe and legal reproductive healthcare, regardless of where they live, their income, or their status. I believe Georgia’s 6-week ban is unconstitutional under the Georgia State Constitution, which guarantees a right to privacy, and I would not enforce a statute that is not lawful. I do not support the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The Dobbs decision sets a dangerous precedent; never before have American citizens been stripped of a fundamental, constitutional right.
Chris Carr, Republican
The Chris Carr campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Chris has also fought strenuously to protect Georgians’ 2nd Amendment rights and to protect the rights of the unborn through his vigorous defense of Georgia’s Heartbeat Bill in court.
Martin Cowen, Libertarian
I have always supported Roe v. Wade: no regulation in first trimester; permitted in 2nd trimester for the health of the mother; prohibited in 3rd trimester.
Election Reform and Voting Rights
Do you support the enactment of Georgia’s Election Integrity Act of 2021 (S.B. 202)? What other actions would you take as Attorney General in regards to voting and elections?
Jen Jordan, Democrat
I voted against S.B. 202 in the Georgia Senate last year and still strongly oppose the bill today. Georgia Republicans responded to 2020’s election results with S.B. 202 to suppress voters and deny equal access to the right to vote. I have been fighting to protect voting rights since I became an attorney 20 years ago, and that won’t change if I am elected Attorney General. If elected, I will reorganize the office to create a voting rights division tasked with protecting ballot access and investigating instances of voter intimidation or fraud. Unlike Chris Carr, I will make it the policy of my office not to defend any law that infringes upon Georgians’ rights, including roadblocks to voting. Attorneys General are the first and last line of defense against threats to our democracy, and I will always go to court to protect Georgians’ right to vote.
Chris Carr, Republican
The Chris Carr campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Chris is vigorously defending Georgia’s election reform law (SB202) against eight legal challenges, including a lawsuit from Biden’s Department of Justice. Georgia’s law strengthens security, expands access and improves transparency, and Chris is confident Georgia will prevail against the blatantly political DOJ lawsuit.
Martin Cowen, Libertarian
Yes.
What other actions would you take as Attorney General in regards to voting and elections?
The AG’s office will investigate and vigorously prosecution voter/election fraud within the statute of limitations.
