Georgia governor vows to fight after MLB yanks All-Star Game
News of Major League Baseball’s decision to pull this summer’s All-Star Game from Georgia over its sweeping new voting law reverberated among fans Saturday, while Gov. Brian Kemp vowed to defend the measure in court, saying “free and fair elections” are worth any threats, boycotts or lawsuits to come.
The Republican governor said at a news conference that the MLB “caved to fear and lies from liberal activists” when it yanked the July 13 game from the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park. He argued that the decision will hurt working people in the state and have long-term consequences on the economy.
“Major League Baseball, Coca-Cola and Delta may be scared of Stacey Abrams, Joe Biden and the left, but I am not,” he said, referring to companies that have also criticized the new law.
Three groups already have filed a lawsuit over the measure, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. Critics say it violates the First and 14th amendments of the U.S. Constitution, as well as parts of the federal Voting Rights Act that say states cannot restrict Black voter participation. Mr. Kemp has insisted opponents have mischaracterized what the law does — but Republican lawmakers made the changes largely in response to false, disproven claims of fraud in the 2020 elections made by former President Donald Trump and his supporters.
Fans, meanwhile, appeared divided on the MLB’s decision.
Patrick Smith, a lifelong Braves fan in Ellisville, Miss., said he thinks the MLB made the right decision and noted that not taking a stand would also have polarized some supporters.
“When governments restrict access to the ballot box, someone has to step in to encourage these entities to roll back those measures,” he said.
Lorre Sweetman, of Kahului, Hawaii, said it was a poor move by the MLB because, in her opinion, it wasn’t based on the actual new voting laws but instead on “political pandering” and misinformation.
Still, while some fans upset about the MLB’s decision have called for a boycott of the professional baseball, she said she will not stop watching MLB games, and her three grandsons are still learning baseball.
“They caved to pressure without considering the message this sends to fans who just want to enjoy the game and support their team,” she said. “We need to take politics out of sports.”
But Dick Pagano, a baseball fan in Elk Grove Village, Ill., said he will not watch or attend any games this year.
“They shot themselves in the foot,” said Mr. Pagano, who said he was disappointed to miss the planned Hank Aaron celebration during the All-Star Game, since he once saw him play in the 1957 World Series.
Aaron, who played for the Braves in Atlanta and Milwaukee,, faced extensive hate mail and racism as he closed in on breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record in the 1970s.