Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Wednesday pushed back on criticism of the state’s controversial new voting law that in part prohibits nonelection workers from providing food and water to voters standing in line, arguing that people can “order Grubhub or Uber Eats.”
Kemp said during an interview on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America” program that “misinformation and lying by people all the way up to the White House” fueled statements of condemnation against the voting bill from businesses such as Coca-Cola and Delta Air Lines. MLB also moved its 2021 All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver over the voting measures.
Democrats have pushed back against the law since it was enacted late last month, arguing that provisions such as requiring a photo ID for absentee ballots and limiting the number of ballot drop box locations would make it more difficult for voters of color to participate in elections.
President Biden specifically referred to the law as “Jim Crow in the 21st century.”
“They’re just saying it’s suppression, it’s Jim Crow,” Kemp said Wednesday, adding, “It’s a false narrative, and people need to understand that.”
The GOP governor then responded to criticism of the law’s provision limiting the distribution of food and water at polling stations, confirming that polling centers can still provide refreshments and that people can bring their own food and water with them.
“They can order a pizza. They can order Grubhub or Uber Eats. The county officials can provide water stations,” he said, adding that the restriction on handing out food and water “is just within 150 feet of the precinct.”
“If you’re 151 feet, campaigns can set up tables, food trucks, they can hand out flyers, put up signs,” he continued. “This has been the case in Georgia for a long time and many, many other states.”
Several social media users condemned Kemp for suggesting that voters order food, with some saying that the statement was “tone deaf,” as many people may not be able to afford food delivery services.
Republicans have defended the new voting law, arguing that it is meant to restore confidence in the state’s electoral system, which was repeatedly called into question by former President Trump and his allies leading up to and after the 2020 presidential election through unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.
Many have called for boycotts against Georgia-based businesses that have failed to condemn the voting law.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said upon announcing the league’s decision last week to remove the All-Star Game from the Peach State that it was “the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport.”
However, Republicans have pushed back against Manfred and MLB in the past week, with a number of them scrutinizing Manfred’s membership at Georgia’s exclusive Augusta National Golf Club and threatening to take away MLB’s long-held antitrust exemption.