Stacey Abrams, the former Georgia gubernatorial candidate and political powerhouse, finds herself in a new position as the 2024 election looms. Once a key figure in Democratic politics, Abrams is now facing doubts about her ability to mobilize voters and make a significant impact on the upcoming election.
In 2020, Abrams was a top contender for the vice presidential slot that ultimately went to Kamala Harris. Despite this setback, Abrams remained determined and vocal about her willingness to serve in any capacity. However, her political influence has waned since then, leading some to question her ability to rally voters and support Harris in her bid to replicate Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia.
Abrams’ nonprofit organizations, once instrumental in voter registration and community organizing efforts, are facing financial troubles and internal challenges. Fair Fight Action, one of the groups she founded, started the year with significant debt, a stark contrast to its financial standing in 2020. The New Georgia Project, another organization associated with Abrams, is also struggling to recover from financial scandals and leadership changes.
Despite her diminished presence in the political landscape, Abrams continues to fundraise and make appearances in support of Democratic candidates. However, her fundraising efforts have fallen short of previous levels, raising questions about her ability to maintain her political influence.
While some Democratic officials in Georgia remain optimistic about Abrams’ impact on the election, others see Georgia slipping away from Harris. The state’s shifting political landscape and the challenges of mobilizing Black voters, a demographic Abrams has historically focused on, are key factors in the upcoming election.
Despite these challenges, Abrams’ legacy in Georgia politics remains significant. Her efforts to engage voters and build a strong Democratic infrastructure have left a lasting impact on the state. While her role may have evolved over the years, Abrams’ contributions to Georgia politics are undeniable, and her influence on the upcoming election remains to be seen. The state electorate in Georgia is about 25 percent Black, making it one of the highest percentages in the country. Despite this, Vice President Kamala Harris’s polling margins within that group are not as strong as those of former President Joe Biden in 2020 or even Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to public surveys. In an effort to rally Black voters for Harris, former First Lady Michelle Obama visited the state last weekend.
Georgia Democrats believe that a surge in activity by Stacey Abrams in the final days leading up to the election could make a significant difference. However, the campaign has not shared information about where Abrams would be deployed. Abrams is important to Harris for another reason – each represents a different face of a Black woman’s experience in America. Harris, the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica, grew up in liberal Northern California, while Abrams, the second of six children of United Methodist ministers, was raised in conservative Gulfport, Mississippi. After moving to Atlanta, Abrams worked tirelessly in Georgia politics to become the Democratic leader in the state legislature.
Since the 2020 election, Harris and Abrams have often been grouped together as Black trailblazing women in the Democratic Party. They were credited for increasing enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and were both shortlisted in media stories to fill a Supreme Court vacancy. They were also floated as possible replacements for President Biden before the 2024 election cycle began. Despite their shared spotlight, Harris and Abrams have rarely crossed paths in person during Harris’s tenure as vice president.
The last time they were on the campaign trail together was in November 2020 when Harris was stumping in Georgia as Biden’s running mate. Abrams’ stock was high at the time as she was gearing up for her 2022 gubernatorial comeback, but some local Democrats were disappointed by Biden’s selection of Harris over their home-state favorite. Civil rights leader Al Sharpton, among others, had pressed Biden to pick a Black woman as his vice presidential nominee, with Abrams being one of the top contenders.
Abrams, who did not shy away from expressing her desire to be the number two on the ticket, stated that she would be an excellent running mate and had the ability to attract voters from typically ignored communities. She emphasized her executive and management experience in various sectors and her deep knowledge of foreign policy. Additionally, Abrams stressed the importance of selecting a woman of color for the vice presidential position in 2020, calling it a crucial decision for the Democratic Party’s base.
Despite their different backgrounds and experiences, Harris and Abrams have both faced challenges and criticism during their political careers. Abrams has been more vocal about the role of race and gender in politics, defending Harris from racist and sexist attacks. After Abrams’s loss to Governor Kemp in 2022, her campaign manager, Lauren Groh-Wargo, attributed part of the defeat to Abrams’s efforts in supporting other Democratic candidates.
Following the 2022 defeat, Abrams’s personal and political standing took a hit, coinciding with financial struggles for the nonprofits she founded. Fair Fight Action, the largest of these organizations, faced financial difficulties and laid off a significant portion of its staff. Groh-Wargo returned to lead the organization in an effort to address the mounting debt and challenges faced by the nonprofit.
As the election approaches, the collaboration between Harris and Abrams remains crucial in mobilizing Black voters and securing support for the Democratic ticket in Georgia. Both women bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table, making them formidable forces in the political landscape. Fair Fight Action, founded by Stacey Abrams, has been making waves in the political arena by airing a TV ad to highlight potential changes to state election laws by a Republican-controlled State Elections Board. Despite their recent activities, Fair Fight Action did not respond to interview requests, leaving many questions unanswered.
Another organization founded by Abrams, the New Georgia Project, has also faced challenges recently. The group, known for its focus on voting rights, has seen significant turnover since the 2022 election. Just days before the midterm election, the leader of the New Georgia Project was fired amid accusations of financial misconduct.
Despite these setbacks, the New Georgia Project has expanded its mission to include issues such as affordable housing, environmental justice, and childcare. However, the organization did not respond to interview requests, leaving its current status unclear.
In the wake of these developments, smaller grassroots organizations in Georgia are stepping up to fill the void left by Abrams’ network. Christine White, head of Georgia Alliance for Progress, emphasized the importance of funding these local groups for year-round organizing. While larger organizations like Fair Fight Action and the New Georgia Project have dominated the political landscape, smaller nonprofits are now gaining traction and making an impact.
As the 2022 election approaches, the Harris campaign is outspending the Trump campaign in Georgia. Democrats are confident that these smaller nonprofit organizations will play a crucial role in securing victory for Harris. Stacey Abrams, in a recent interview, expressed her belief that Harris can win Georgia, citing her own campaigns as laying the groundwork for change.
The future of Georgia’s political landscape remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: grassroots organizations are stepping up to make a difference. By filling the gap left by larger organizations, these local groups are shaping the future of Georgia politics and working towards a more inclusive and equitable democracy.
