Republican Attorney General Chris Carr has secured a second full term Tuesday.
Carr defeated Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan and Libertarian Martin Cowen in the race to be the state’s top prosecutor.
Carr, a Dunwoody resident and one-time aide to Republican U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, was first appointed by then-Gov. Nathan Deal in 2016 and won his first full term in 2018.
In a statement, Carr said his reelection confirmed he was “taking the state in the right direction.”
“Working with Gov. Brian Kemp and the General Assembly, we have accomplished so much in recent years, from keeping businesses and schools open to prosecuting criminal gangs and human traffickers,” he said. “I ran again because there’s still much to get done, and I’ll never tire in my efforts to keep Georgians safe, uphold the rule of law and create a climate where our citizens who work hard are able to prosper.”
The attorney general is tasked with being the legal adviser for the executive branch of state government, providing legal opinions, representing the state in court and prosecuting public corruption.
The attorney general mostly handles civil lawsuits, but in recent years, the Legislature has expanded the role to include investigation and prosecution under human trafficking and gang laws.
Carr and Jordan had made the enforcement of Georgia’s abortion law central to their race.
For months, Jordan said she would not spend state resources defending the law legislators passed in 2019. The law bans most abortions once a doctor can detect fetal cardiac activity, which is typically at about six weeks into pregnancy and before many know they are pregnant. Jordan says the law violates the right to privacy protected under the Georgia Constitution.
Carr called Jordan’s position a “dereliction of duty” and says it is the job of the office to defend the state’s laws, even when the person in the job doesn’t think they are constitutional.
In a statement, Jordan said despite losing the race, “the work is far from over.”
“It is now more important than ever that we continue to support and elect leaders who will prioritize the health and safety of Georgia families,” she said. “Leaders who will stand up for women and defend our right to make the most personal decisions about our own bodies. Leaders who will reject partisan political agendas and put people first.”
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