Already-Hot Georgia Governor's Race Just Got Hotter

If you thought the race for Georgia governor had gotten testy enough, welcome to an even testier Sunday: The office of Secretary of State Brian Kemp, the Republican candidate, announced overnight that it is investigating a "failed attempt to hack the state's voter registration system," specifically, "the Democratic Party of Georgia is under investigation for possible cyber crimes." The party in question, which has accused Kemp of voter suppression and using his office to further his gubernatorial aspirations, dismissed the "scurrilous claims" as "100 percent false" and another "abuse of power," reports CNN. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution calls the move "explosive," and notes that Kemp's office did not proffer any evidence.

Both sides are pounding the pavement for their candidates, with VP Mike Pence stumping for Kemp and President Trump dismissing Democrat Stacey Abrams as "not qualified" for the state's top job. Abrams, appearing Sunday on CNN, scoffed at both Trump and Kemp's investigation. "He's wrong," she said of Trump. "As President (Barack) Obama pointed out, I am the most qualified candidate running." Of Kemp she called it "a desperate attempt ... to distract people from the fact that two different federal judges found him derelict in his duties." The AJC notes that the two are in a dead heat ahead of Tuesday's vote. (More Election 2018 stories.)