Stacy-Abrams
Henry Holt and Company

Democrat Stacy Abrams running for Georgia governor in 2022

Democrat Stacy Abrams, who lost to Republican Brian Kemp in 2018, announced her bid for governor of Georgia in 2022, likely setting up a rematch against the incumbent.

Stacy Abrams to run for Georgia governor in 2022

Stacy Abrams, 47, is an attorney, former Georgia State legislator, voting rights activist, small business operator, and also an author of several romance novels under the pen name of Selena Montgomery, published by Avon, a HarperCollins imprint.

On Wednesday, Ms. Abrams announced she is running for governor in 2022, possibly setting up a rematch of Republican incumbent Brian Kemp. The race could be one of the most closely watched in the country, CNN reports.

Abrams announced the launch of her campaign for governor on social media, advocating for voting rights, stating: “Opportunity in our state shouldn’t be determined by zip code, background or access to power.”

Last year, Abrams was credited with assisting in organizing black voters in the South, which helped catapult Democrats to key victories, including the narrow win of President Joe Biden in Georgia, NBC reported.

“If our Georgia is going to move to its next and greatest chapter, we’re going to need leadership,” Abrams said in her announcement video. That’s the governor’s job – to fight for one Georgia, our Georgia. And now, it is time to get the job done.”

Abrams lost a close gubernatorial contest in 2018

In 2018, Abrams became the first black female nominee for governor of Georgia, overwhelmingly defeating competitor Stacy Evans in the primary.

Abrams lost the Georgia governor’s race by a narrow margin to Kemp in the election.

However, Abrams was unwilling to concede and challenged the election results. In less than a week after her post-election legal maneuvering, she finally acknowledged defeat, which may have forced a runoff in December. However, she insisted she was not conceding and delivered sharp criticisms of Kemp.

Abrams sought VP slot for any Democratic nominee in 2020

In August of 2019, Abrams was rumored to be considered a running mate for then-candidate Joe Biden. However, she made it known she would be “honored to be considered” as the running mate for “any nominee” among the then-crowded field of Democrat candidates. Abrams endorsed Biden for President in 2020. She was considered a strong contender for vice president, and pundits had given her a 37 percent chance of being selected by Biden.