'Knives are out': Republican officials trade blows as governor's race gets ugly

Two major Republican state officials in Georgia running rival gubernatorial campaigns are escalating the attacks on each other, as one files a lawsuit challenging a fundraising law that he says puts him at an unfair advantage.

It's the latest in a high-profile primary fight for the seat being vacated by departing Gov. Brian Kemp.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, state Attorney General Chris Carr is suing Lt. Gov. Burt Jones over a 2021 law that he argues Jones is abusing to raise unlimited funds for his campaign, while Carr is stuck with strict limits. The law in question lets governors, lieutenant governors, legislative leaders, and party nominees for these positions create "leadership funds" with no contribution limits, even while the legislative session — which prohibits other state officials from fundraising — is in progress.

"In the 24-page lawsuit against Jones, Carr argues Jones’ ability to raise and spend unlimited funds through his leadership committee 'significantly disadvantages' Carr’s campaign for governor. Carr is capped at $13,200 per donor for the primary and runoff combined," reported Greg Bluestein and David Wickert.

“Mr. Jones is raising and spending unlimited amounts of money in the primary — and Mr. Carr is limited in what he can raise by Georgia’s existing campaign contribution limits,” said the lawsuit. “This Court should level this uneven playing field by preventing Mr. Jones from using his leadership committee during the primary election.”

As the legal battle heats up, "the knives are out" as the candidates are attacking each other over the situation, Bluestein wrote.

"Georgia's lackluster Attorney General defended this law two years ago," stated a spokesperson for Jones' campaign. "Now, he's running for governor and wants to challenge the same law he once defended. If hypocrisy were an Olympic sport, he'd take gold."

A spokesperson for Carr hit back: "Chris Carr never defended a Lieutenant Governor using a PAC to fund a campaign for higher office. There's a big difference between defending a law and defending someone abusing it. Chris Carr has always worked to uphold the law. Burt Jones is trying to break it."