Democrats sue red state governor over fundraising law

The Democratic Party of Georgia is suing Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) over a campaign finance law the party argues is unconstitutional, according to a complaint.

In the complaint, which was filed on Thursday in federal court, Georgia Democrats charged that a judge should overturn a 2021 law that allowed leadership committees in the state due to the law allegedly giving Republicans an unfair fundraising advantage. These types of committees may spend and raise unlimited amounts of money boosting candidates. Democrats hold that the law benefits GOP candidates, who they say can accumulate larger war chests due to incumbency than Democrats, who may start candidacies with less.

“If you have one side allowed to collect unlimited amounts of money while the other side is handcuffed, that violates freedom of speech,” former Georgia state Sen. Jen Jordan, who is representing the Democratic Party in the lawsuit, said in a statement. “The playing field needs to be even … and let the chips fall where they may.”

At the same time, the 2021 fundraising law also allows Democrats to set up leadership committees. Separately, legislative candidates in George can raise up to $3,300 from individual contributors during the general and primary elections. The Washington Examiner reached out for comment to a spokesperson for Kemp.

“Leave it to Democrats to complain about a level playing field when they’re entitled to play by the same rules,” Stephen Lawson, a veteran GOP political strategist in Georgia, told the Washington Examiner. “They just don’t want to. It’s also an indictment on their ability to raise money.”

“Clearly, there’s a policy and leadership void with Georgia Democrats right now,” Lawson said. “They’re resorting to lawsuits to try and tip the scales in their favor.”

To the Democratic Party of Georgia, the existence of the leadership committees renders limits on individual donations in elections essentially pointless.

Two years ago, Kemp, an incumbent, and his failed Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams, combined to haul in $94.6 million through their respective leadership committees. Democrats say Kemp’s Georgia First leadership committee is now free to direct funds to help GOP candidates, while with no Democratic challenger on the ballot for governor this year, Democrats are not receiving equal treatment under the law.

“If you can raise unlimited contributions through a leadership committee … why do we have campaign finance limits for individual candidates? It doesn’t make sense,” Kevin Olasanoye, the Democratic Party of Georgia’s executive director, told the Augusta Chronicle.