>>> HELLO.

I'M HOST AND PRODUCER OF MORNING EDITION.

WELCOME TO THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB LOUDERMILK YOUNG DEBATE SERIES.

THIS IS THE RUN-OFF DEBATE FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

LET'S MEET THE CANDIDATES.

THEY ARE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

CHARLIE BAILEY IS AN ATTORNEY.

KWANZA HALL IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ATLANTA CITY COUNCIL AND REPRESENTS GEORGIA'S FIFTH DISTRICT.

HE NEVER RESPONDED TO OUR INVITATION TO JOIN US TODAY AND IS REPRESENTED BY AN EMPTY PODIUM.

NOW, LET'S MEET OUR PANELISTS.

PATRICIA MURPHY IS A POLITICAL REPORTER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION.

AND BENJAMIN PAYNE IS A SAVANNAH BASED REPORTER FOR GEORGIA'S PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

FOR COMPLETE RULES ON TODAY'S PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB WEBSITE.

TO START THE PROGRAM, CHARLIE BAIL WILL BE ASKED ONE QUESTION BY EACH PANELIST.

HE WILL HAVE 60 SECONDS TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION.

PATRICIA MURPHY, YOU GET THE FIRST.

>> MR. BAILEY, THE ROLE OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN GEORGIA IS AFFECTED BY WHICH PARTY CONTROLLED STATE SENATE.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TO ENSURE YOUR OWN PRIORITIES ARE ADVANCED EVEN IF THE STATE SENATE REMAINS IN REPUBLICAN HANDS?

>> WELL, IMPORTANT TO NOTE, PATRICIA, AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAS THE POWER TO DECIDE WHO SITS ON WHAT COMMITTEE.

THE POWER TO DECIDE WHO CHAIRS WHAT COMMITTEE, THE POWER TO DECIDE WHEN A BILL IS FILED IN THE STATE SENATE, WHAT COMMITTEE THAT BILL GOES TO.

I WILL USE THOSE POWERS TO DIRECT LEGISLATION THAT WILL HELP THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA.

ONE EXAMPLE, EXPANDING MEDICAID.

AND I THINK GOVERNOR ABRAMS, A FUTURE GOVERNOR WHO WILL WIN THIS ELECTION, SHE WILL HAVE LINE ITEM VETO POWER AS THE GOVERNOR AND THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS EXPANDING MEDICAID.

AND I THINK WE'LL BE DEALING WITH A DEFICIT OF SIX VOTES IN THE STATE SENATE.

I THINK WE CAN GET SIX VOTES TO EXPAND MEDICAID TO REOPEN EIGHT OF THE TEN HOSPITALS THAT HAVE CLOSED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.

TO HELP COVER THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WHO DON'T HAVE HEALTH CARE AND OUR PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR IT.

OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN INDIANA AND CALIFORNIA AND OHIO HAVE IT AND WE DON'T HAVE IT HERE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BENJAMIN PAYNE.

PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTION.

>> LAST MONTH'S PRIMARY ELECTIONS IN GEORGIA DEMONSTRATED THE LIMITS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INFLUENCE, AT LEAST IN GEORGIA, SINCE ALL OF HIS REFERRED REPUBLICAN PICKS FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE AND STATE GOVERNMENT LOST EXCEPT FOR BERT JONES WHO IS ALSO RUNNING FOR STATE GOVERNOR.

WHY SHOULD VOTERS BELIEVE YOU CAN WIN IN THE GENERAL ELECTION AGAINST A TRUMP ENDORSED CANDIDATE IN A STATE WHERE TRUMP IS STILL VERY POPULAR AMONG CONSERVATIVES?

>> WELL, I THINK BURT JONES AND DONALD TRUMP ARE OUT OF STATE, OUT OF STEP WITH THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA.

BURT JONES TRIED TO OVERTURN AN ELECTION.

HE WAS A FALSE ELECTOR FOR DONALD TRUMP.

HE CODDLES AND SUPPORTS MARJORIE TAYLOR GREEN.

HIS POLITICS IS A POLITICS OF HATE AND DIVISION.

IT DOESN'T BELIEVE IN AN EXCEPTION FOR THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER OR RAPE OR INCEST WHEN IT COMES TO ABORTION.

POLITICS REWARDS CRONY FRIENDS AND DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA.

AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO RUN.

I DON'T THINK, WE'RE GOING TO RUN AGAINST THAT RECORD AND SHOW A CONTRAST IN MY IDEAS, FOR EXPANDING MEDICAID, MAKING TECHNICAL COLLEGE TUITION FREE AGAIN IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

ACTUALLY, NOT GIVING TEACHERS JUST A BONUS BUT A REAL RAISE.

I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE PAYING OUR TEACHERS, $70,000, $80,000, $90,000 A YEAR.

THOSE VALUES ARE THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA AND THE VALUE OF BURT JONES AND DONALD TRUMP AND EXTREMISM ARE NOT THE VALUES.

>> THIS IS NORMALLY THE PART OF DEBATE WHERE CANDIDATES QUESTION EACH OTHER.

KWANZA HALL CHOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE.

CHARLIE BAILEY, YOU MAY ASK YOUR QUESTION TO YOUR OPPONENT WHO IS REPRESENTED BY THAT EMPTY PODIUM THERE.

YOU MAY ALSO SHARE YOUR REBUTTAL.

THE REBUTTAL YOU HAVE GIVEN IF HE WERE HERE.

YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS AND 30 SECONDS FOR A REBUTTAL.

>> WELL, IF MR. HALL HAD BEEN HERE, I WOULD HAVE THAT, I WOULD HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION HE'S BEEN DODGING.

THAT IS, AFTER HE LOST HIS RACE FOR MAYOR, HE ILLEGALLY TOOK THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM THE CITY OF ATLANTA.

AND WHEN HE WAS CAUGHT, AFTER AN AMP JC INVESTIGATION, HE GAVE AN EXAMPLE, EXCUSE ME, HE GAVE A DEFENSE AND COMPARED HIMSELF TO A RAPE VICTIM.

THAT HE WAS THE ONE BEING VICTIMIZED.

SO MY QUESTION IS, WHY DID YOU DO THAT, MR. HALL?

WHY DID YOU TAKE THAT MONEY ILLEGALLY?

WHY DID YOU COMPARE YOURSELF TO A RAPE VICTIM WHEN YOU WERE CAUGHT, AND WHY DO YOU HAVE SO LITTLE RESPECT FOR THE VOTERS OF THE STATE?

NOW, HE CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE HE'S NOT HERE.

I WOULD SAY HIM NOT BEING HERE IS A PATTERN.

A PATTERN OF A LACK OF RESPECT FOR VOTERS.

A PATTERN OF AN UNSERIOUS PERSON.

IF YOU CANNOT STAND UP WITH THE VOTER, TELL THEM WHAT YOU BELIEVE, LISTEN TO THE QUESTIONS OF A FREE PRESS, YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO BE THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

IF YOU TAKE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ILLEGALLY, WHEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT, WHEN YOU COMPARE YOURSELF TO A RAPE VICTIM, WHEN YOU ARE CAUGHT DOING IT, YOU'RE NOT A SERIOUS PERSON AND YOU'RE NOT DESERVING OF THE ROLE OF ALONE GOVERNOR.

IT IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS OF FOLKS LIKE STACEY ABRAMS AND CONGRESSMAN LUCY, AND HANK JOHNSON HAVE ENDORSED MY CAMPAIGN AND KNOW THAT I'M THE BEST PERSON IN THE GENERAL ELECTION AND TO SERVE AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN THIS GREAT STATE.

>> THANK YOU.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR SECOND ROUND.

WE'LL NOW GO BACK TO THE PANELISTS TO ASK QUESTIONS UNTIL WE RUN OUT OF TIME.

AT THE POINT OF MODERATOR PRIVILEGE, I MAY ALSO ASK A QUESTION OR TWO.

BENJAMIN, YOU GET THE FIRST QUESTION.

>> I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GREW UP ON A CATTLE FARM IN RURAL WEST VIRGINIA.

IF ELECTED LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, WHAT POLICIES WOULD YOU LIKE TO IMPLEMENT THAT WOULD ESPECIALLY SERVE GEORGIANS LIVING IN RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE?

>> I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.

OUR RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE, REPUBLICANS GAVE A LOT OF LIP SERVICE LIKE THEY DO TO A LOT OF ISSUES ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY CARE.

IN 20 YEARS, A RIGHT WING REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP, WE DON'T HAVE BROAD BAND ACCESS ACROSS RURAL GEORGIA.

WE HAVE RURAL HOSPITALS THAT ARE CLOSING.

WE HAVE A DEARTH OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR PEOPLE IN TERMS OF EDUCATION.

WE DON'T HAVE TECHNICAL TUITION -- TUITION-FREE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS IS ON THOSE ISSUES THAT WILL MAKE LIFE BETTER.

WHETHER YOU'RE IN RURAL GEORGIA OR URBAN GEORGIA OR SUBURBAN GEORGIA.

WHEREVER YOU WERE BORN IN THIS STATE, YOU OUGHT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A LIFE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD JOB WITH A GOOD WAGE THAT YOU CAN PASS ON MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR KIDS THAN YOU HAVE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON HERRING.

WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON EDUCATION SO WE'RE NOT 48 AND 49th IN THE COUNTRY.

AND WE'LL FOCUS ON KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE.

SOMETHING REPUBLICANS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT BUT IN 20 YEARS THEY HAVEN'T DONE A LOT ABOUT.

>> THANK YOU.

PATRICIA MURPHY, IT IS YOUR TURN TO ASK THE NEXT QUESTION.

>> IF YOU WIN THE RUN-OFF FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, YOU'LL BE RUNNING ON A TICKET WITH STACEY ABRAMS AS THE GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEEFUL ARE THERE ANY ISSUES WHERE YOU DIFFER FROM STACEY ABRAMS?

>> NONE THAT I CAN THINK OF.

I TRULY, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ONE.

CERTAINLY IF THERE IS ONE OUT THERE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

I'M PROUD TO BE ENDORSED BY STACEY ABRAMS AND I'LL BE PROUD TO CAMPAIGN WITH HER AS I DID FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS A STATEWIDE NOMINEE AND GOT 49% OF THE VOTE.

THE HIGHEST OF ANY STATEWIDE.

WE'LL CAMPAIGN IN GEORGIA, NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, NO MAERLT YOUR SKIN COLOR, YOUR GENDER, YOUR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, YOU CAN HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE FOR YOUR FAMILY.

WE'LL FOCUS ON GETTING HEALTH CARE TO FOLKS.

ON GETTING AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EDUCATION FOR PEOPLE.

WE'LL FOCUS ON MAKING OUR EQUAL JUSTICE.

AND A FAIR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

THOSE ARE THE ISSUES.

WE DON'T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT A HUMAN BEING, THEIR DIGNITY AND THEIR LIFE.

I'M OVER IT.

I HAVE SEEN THE DEVASTATION, THE HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES HAVE CAUSED.

I WAS AN ORGANIZED CRIME PROSECUTOR IN FULTON COUNTY.

I HAVE ONE CASE, I CAN REMEMBER A DRIVE-BY SHOOTING.

WHEN THEY CAUGHT THE GUYS, THEY HAD .NEIGHBOR MILLIMETER HANDGUNS WITH 59 DRUMS ON THE BOTTOM OF IT.

THAT KIND OF FIRE POWER, AND I WOULD INCLUDE IN THAT, THESE MACHINE GUNS, THESE ASSAULT WEAPONS THAT WERE BUILT FOR THE MILITARY.

THEY HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR SOCIETY.

I THINK WE SHOULD BAN THEM.

THE 1994 ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN WORKED.

AND WE NEED TO GO BACK TOM.

WE NEED TO HAVE A POLICY AROUND GUNS WHERE WE RESPECT LIFE AND NOT INANIMUS OBJECTS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU BEGAN THE ELECTION RUNNING FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL.

WHY DIDN'T YOU RUN FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN THE FIRST PLACE?

>> I WAS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL FOUR YEARS AGO.

AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT CAMPAIGN.

I MENTIONED BEFORE, I'VE RUN AGAINST REPUBLICANS STATEWIDE, WHICH MY PRIMARY OPPONENT HANDFUL I'VE TAKEN INCOMING FROM REPUBLICANS.

NATIONAL REPUBLICANS SPENT $3.3 MILLION IN NEGATIVE TV ADS BLAMING ME FOR RISING MURDER RATES IN ATLANTA BECAUSE I WAS THE ORGANIZED CRIME PROSECUTOR.

I'VE TAKEN THAT INCOMING AND RUN AGAINST AN INCUMBENT.

I GOT 49% SO I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN STATEWIDE.

I STARTED THAT CAMPAIGN BACK UP AGAIN AND I WAS RUNNING FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL.

BUT FOLKS CAME TO ME.

LEADERS IN THE PARTY INCLUDING PEOPLE CLOSE TO LEADER STACEY ABRAMS AND THEY ASKED NO RUN FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR INSTEAD.

I WORKED FOR THE LAST DEMOCRATIC LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, MARK TAYLOR.

THE LAST LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THAT CARED ABOUT WORKING PEOPLE, THAT CARED ABOUT IMPROVING EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE.

I KNOW WHAT A DEMOCRATIC LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THAT CARES ABOUT WORKING FOLKS CAN GET DONE.

SO I'M COMMITTED TO THIS RACE.

I DECIDED TO SWITCH RACES.

WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS ONE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BENJAMIN, YOU'LL HAVE THE LAST QUESTION.

MR. BAILEY, ONLY 30 SECONDS TO ANSWER THIS ONE.

>> SO YOU ARE A PRIVATE ATTORNEY.

AS YOU MENTIONED A BIT AGO, YOU USED TO BE A PROSECUTOR IN THE FULTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

HOW WOULD YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE ROUNDS OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL JUSTICE TRANSLATE TO THE ROLE.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR?

>> NEITHER BURT JONES NOR KWANZA HALL HAVE MY EXPERIENCE IN GETTING JUSTICE FOR FOLKS.

WHETHER THAT'S IN THE CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM OR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

THE IDEA THAT WHEN A WRONG HAS HAPPENED, THAT SOMETIMES THE ONLY PERSON THAT CAN MAKE IT RIGHT IS A LAWYER OR A PROSECUTOR.

WHEN IT REACHES THAT POINT.

WE NEED SOMEONE THAT CARES ABOUT JUSTICE AND HAS A CAREER GETTING JUSTICE FOR PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO USE THE LAW TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND TO GET THEM JUSTICE.

THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR QUESTIONS.

CHARLIE BAILEY WILL NOW HAVE 60 SECONDS FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT.

CHARLIE BAILEY, PLEASE GIVE YOUR CLOSING STATEMENT.

>> I'M RUNNING FOR ALONE GOVERNOR BECAUSE EVERY DAY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF GEORGIANS GET UP, TO GO WORK AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT, IS MY KID SAFE?

HOW ARE THEY DOING IN SCHOOL?

IF I GET A HOSPITAL BILL, CAN I PAY IT?

INSTEAD OF WORKING ON THOSE ISSUES, THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE BURT JONES HAS BUILT A CAREER ON AUTHORITARIANISM.

HE WAS A FALSE ELECTOR FOR DONALD TRUMP.

HE TRIED TO OVERTURN AN ELECTION.

HIS POLITICS IS THE POLITICS OF HATE AND DIVISION.

THAT SAYS NOT EVERYBODY'S VOTE DOES MATTER THE SAME AND NOT EVERYBODY'S CHILD MATTERS THE SAME AND NOT EVERYBODY'S COMMUNITY MATTERS THE SAME.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I BELIEVE.

I BELIEVE WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS.

WE ALL LOVE OUR FAMILIES.

WE ALL DESERVE THE SAME DIGNITY, THE SAME SAFETY, THE SAME JUSTICE AND THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD FOR OUR KIDS A BETTER LIFE THAN THE ONE WE HAD.

I'M PROUD TO BE ENDORSED BY STACEY ABRAMS, THE CONGRESSMAN HANK JOHNSON, GOVERNOR ROY BARNES, IF YOU GIVE ME YOUR TRUST, I PROMISE YOU THIS.

YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TO APOLOGIZE AND YOU WILL ALWAYS KNOW MY FRIEND CHARLIE, HE FIGHTS FOR US.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

>> CHARLIE BAILEY, THANK YOU.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR PROGRAM WEST WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN VOTERS THAT ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, JUNE 21st.

OUR THANKS TO THE CANDIDATES AND OUR PANEL OF JOURNALISTS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB FOR ARRANGING TODAY'S PROGRAM.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEBATES, THEY WILL HOST THIS ELECTION SEASON.

VISIT ATLANTA PRESS CLUB.ORG.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE LOUDERMILK YOUNG DEBATE SERIES.