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Marilyn Langford, vice-chair of Georgia’s 9th Congressional District Democrats, didn’t mince words: “Abrams is great, but she missed the train.”
This time around, it’s clear Democrats are not rolling out the red carpet. Unlike previous elections, the primary field is already crowding. State Senator Jason Esteves has already jumped into the race, and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is rumored to be next. More could follow, signaling that Abrams may face a serious fight just to make it out of the Democratic primary.
Adding to the tension is the fact that Gov. Kemp is term-limited, leaving an open seat — a rare opportunity for Democrats who haven’t competed for an open governor’s seat in nearly a decade.
Some Democratic leaders are still clinging to hope that Abrams’ national fame and massive fundraising capabilities can pull off a miracle. After all, many credit her with the voter registration drives that helped Democrats snag both of Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats in 2020.
“The question is how durable is her popularity among that rank-and-file at this point?” mused Jason Carter, the party’s 2014 nominee, who announced this week he would not run. “Can she match this moment better than she matched the moment the other two times?”
An informal survey of 30 Democratic activists revealed a split: some want Abrams to run, others hope she steps aside.
“As an influential party leader and two-time gubernatorial candidate, Stacey would be a strong and qualified candidate in any race she chooses to run,” said Brandi Wyche, chair of the DeKalb County Democratic Committee. “Or be an influential supporter of another Democratic candidate, if she so chooses.”
But Abrams’ road back to political relevance is littered with controversy. In January, she and her associates at the New Georgia Project were slammed with a staggering $300,000 fine after being found guilty of illegal voter registration activities leading up to the 2022 election. Then, in February, a federal probe exposed a jaw-dropping $2 billion grant from the Biden-Harris administration to another Abrams-affiliated nonprofit — one that bizarrely reported only $100 in revenue the previous year.
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These scandals, combined with her losing track record, make Abrams an easy target for Republicans who would love nothing more than to frame her as the face of Democratic corruption and failure in Georgia.
Even her former allies are pressing her for a decision.
“If she chooses not to run,” said Aaron Whitely, chair of the Chatham County Democratic Committee, “I hope she shares that sooner than later so we as a party can begin to vet and prepare for a primary.”
If Abrams truly plans to take another swing, she’ll need to move quickly — and pray that Georgia voters have somehow forgotten her previous flops and scandals. Otherwise, a third run could turn into yet another painful — and very public — defeat.
