6th District Race: 4 Candidates Attend GOP Debate In East Cobb

EAST COBB, GA -- Four Republican candidates squared off against each other Sunday in the first of three GOP debates in the race to represent Georgia's 6th District.

The debate, held at Indian Hills Country Club in East Cobb, was attended by candidates David Abroms, Bob Gray, Judson Hill and Kurt Wilson.

The debate veered into controversy last week when it announced that only five of the 11 Republicans in the race. In response, Wilson's campaign created an online ad criticizing the decision not to have all Republican candidates represented in the forums. Candidate Mohammad Ali Bhuiyan even called for a boycott of the event.

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Karen Handel and Dan Moody got invitations but canceled, according to the Marietta Daily Journal.

Nevertheless, the debate centered on health care, with several of the candidates acknowledging that the Republican health care bill left much to be desired.

"I don't think we actually saw the legislation and I'm not sure that we should as Republicans, do what the Democrats did, and vote on something that we haven't seen," former Johns Creek Councilman Bob Gray said.

"This bill and the process was ill-conceived; I think it showed a lack of leadership," Abroms said.

In a stunning defeat last week, President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan abruptly pulled the Republican health-care bill after it failed to gain traction in Congress. The move means that the much-promised GOP bid to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, has failed.

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Sunday's debate was for the first of three debates that will culminate in the April 18 special election. The second GOP debate (interview style) will be April 2 in Dunwoody at the Le Meridien Atlanta Perimeter 4:00 PM111 Perimeter Center West (just north of Perimeter Mall) Atlanta, GA, 30346.

The final debate (roundtable style) will be April 9 at The Metropolitan Club 6:00 PM5895 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30005.

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