Stacey Abrams
In the build up to the 2020 elections, one notable Democrat had yet to declare any impending campaigns. Stacey Abrams narrowly lost to Republican Brian Kemp in the 2018 Georgia Governor’s race. Ever since, Democrats and Republicans alike have been watching Abrams to see what her next move would be. For months, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has been working overtime to recruit her as the Democratic nominee against current Georgia Senator David Purdue. But Abrams tweeted a video that she will not be running for the Georgia seat in the U.S. Senate in 2020.
This news is major for Georgia Democrats, who saw Abrams as their best bet to flip Purdue’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Several other candidates are out there; Teresa Tomlinson, former mayor of Columbus, already has an exploratory committee, and many other Democrats will likely join the race now that Abrams has made her intentions clear.
This does leave the huge question as to what Abrams plans to do next. Some say she is biding her time till a rematch against Governor Kemp in 2022, once lawsuits regarding reported voter suppression in the 2018 elections have been wrapped up. The Washington Post reports her command center is now Fair Fight Action, a nonprofit she formed in December to increase access to elections and combat what she describes as Republicans’ systemic efforts to suppress voters of color. WaPo notes this could make for a stronger bid against Kemp.
Others believe she will be starting a presidential campaign in the fall, once the crowded Democratic field has settled down a bit. It has also been suggested that Abrams might be a top choice as running mate for whoever wins the Democratic nomination for President. Abrams is former Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives and a former Deputy City Attorney for the city of Atlanta.
