This blog entry was written by Allie Brown, former Clean Energy Advocacy Manager at SACE.

Guest Blog | September 14, 2018 | Elections, Georgia

This post is the sixth in a series of blogs examining where the 2018 candidates for state and federal offices in the Southeast stand on key energy and climate issues. To read the candidate profile for Democratic Nominee for Georgia Governor Stacey Abrams, click here. To continue to track their stances on energy, you can watch the two televised debates between Abrams and Kemp on October 23 and November 4 on WSB-TV. 

Note: The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy does not support or oppose candidates or political parties. Links to reports, candidate websites and outside sources are provided as citizen education tools.

Candidate: Brian Kemp

Brian Kemp, the Republican candidate for Georgia Governor, is currently the Secretary of State of Georgia (serving since 2010). Kemp served as a Georgia State Senator from 2003 to 2007. Kemp’s “4 Point Plan to Put Georgia’s First” does not appear to address clean energy or environmental issues.  Kemp personally owns land for managing timber and discusses in this video “being good stewards of the environment” but beyond this, we could not locate broad stances on clean energy, the environment, or clean transportation.

Renewables

We could not find any mention of renewables in Brian Kemp’s campaign materials or publicly available information. However, Georgia’s Public Service Commissioner (PSC), Bubba McDonald, recently endorsed Kemp and states that “As an innovator and job creator, Kemp realizes the impact that Georgia’s energy policies have on economic development. He understands the power of solar and supports renewable energy policies that are market-driven, affordable and good for Georgia families.”

Energy Efficiency

We could not find any mention of energy efficiency in Brian Kemp’s campaign materials or publicly available information.

Fossil Fuels:

We could not find any mention of fossil fuels in Brian Kemp’s campaign materials or publicly available information.

Climate Change

We could not find any mention of climate change – whether support or denial – in Brian Kemp’s campaign materials or publicly available information.

Nuclear

One of the biggest debates on Georgia right now revolves around Plant Vogtle, a nuclear power plant with additional units under construction that continues to be delayed while exceeding its budget by the billions. Politicians are divided in either supporting the project to continue or calling on the Georgia Public Service Commission to throw in the towel. Kemp is a clear supporter of nuclear and the Vogtle construction project.  In a Politically Georgia article from the end of 2017, Kemp states: “We must finish construction on the two nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle for the longterm benefit of our state. I trust that the Public Service Commission will put ratepayers first as they debate the future of this crucial project next week.”

Clean Transportation

We could not find any mention of clean transportation or electric vehicles in Brian Kemp’s campaign materials or publicly available information. However, there is a mention of transportation in Kemp’s website links, “A New Day for Rural Georgia,” which includes offering tax credits for carpooling.

We encourage you to register and then vote this November. Click here for voting resources provided by the Georgia State Elections Division.  If you are inspired by this blog and have questions for the candidate, please contact his campaign here.