On Tuesday, Stacey Abrams made history in Georgia. She became the first black woman in the country to win a major party’s nomination for governor. If she wins the general election in November, Abrams would not only become the first woman elected to the post of governor in Georgia — but also become the first black woman to govern any state in the country.
In a highly nationalized race dubbed as the ‘Battle of the Staceys,’ Stacey Abram’s victory against Democratic opponent Stacey Evans signals a shift in the Democratic party’s strategy going forward to the 2018 general elections. Pundits and pollsters looked to the ‘Battle of the Staceys’ to assess the shifting landscape within the Democratic Party, reported NBC News.
Stacey Abrams ran on a platform that emphasized energizing turnout amongst black voters , who have long been neglected by Democrats in the South. According to Reuters, a “How We Win” poster at Abrams campaign headquarters highlights that Democrats have lost previous elections in Georgia by around 200,000 votes. In the last governor’s race, more than 1 million black voters did not cast votes.
Look at God and @staceyabrams. pic.twitter.com/Wrvr0bs2pf
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) May 23, 2018
Abrams was endorsed by three 2020 hopefuls: Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). Harris and Booker have visited Georgia to campaign for her.
Stacey Evans, a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives, envisioned a path that would appeal to moderate and rural white working class voters, many of whom may have even voted for President Trump, reported Reuters.
Abrams won with 76 percent of the vote, highlighting that the new ‘Blue Wave’ of Democrats running for office in 2018 seek to uplift voices that have otherwise not been heard. It was black women who seized the victory for Alabama Senator Doug Jones and Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia.
In her victory speech on Tuesday night, Abrams re-asserted her agenda moving forward.
“I’m running because I want every Georgia family to have the freedom and opportunity to thrive. You deserve nothing less and I know Georgia can deliver a whole lot more. Here’s the thing, to claim our victory, to write that next chapter and live those best lives, we have a lot of work to do. We have to reach out to those who do not believe their voices matter, who’ve been disappointed again and again by promises made and never kept.”
In November, Abrams will face against the Republican winner of their party’s July runoff.