Photo: Georgia Democratic nominee for governor Stacey Abrams on June 12, 2022, in Tucker, Ga. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
Democrat politicians have been known to pay extra attention to lure in Black female voters but, second-time candidate for Georgia governor, Stacey Abrams, is going all out to attract Black male voters in her state. With Black women solidly behind her, she is lagging in support from Black men. Now some fear that if she loses again to Republican Governor Brian Kemp, the blame might be placed on Black male voters.
Georgia is 51 percent white, 33 percent Black, and 10 percent Hispanic, according to census data.
“If Black men vote for me, I will win Georgia,” Abrams said during a recent campaign event titled “Stacey and the Fellas” at Forks & Flavors, a Black-owned eatery in Cobb County.
Abrams, who is 5 points behind Kemp, has major ground to make up with Black male voters. Abrams, who has said she is for reparations for Black Americans and Native Americans, has 90 percent of the Black female vote but just 80 percent of the Black male vote, with another 10 percent, found the most recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll from late last month.
“Black women have historically gone to the polls in the highest numbers, and they bring with them their family members and their communities,” Felicia Davis, president, and CEO of the Chicago Foundation for Women, told WTTW.
In 2018, Abrams lost to Kemp by less than 1.5 percentage points despite garnering 97 percent of the Black female vote and 88 percent of the Black male vote.
This time around, Abrams will have to contend with the trend of Black male voters leaning to the Republican party. In Los Angeles, for example, Black male voters seem to be veering away from Democratic Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass in favor of billionaire and former Republican Rick Caruso.
“Hear that black men? If you don’t vote for Abrams then you ain’t black!” Political A tweeted.
Some wondered on Twitter why Abrams should get the Black male vote.
“Stacey Abrams says, ‘If Black men vote for me, I will win Georgia.’ Obviously she’s just setting up a narrative that if/when she loses black men will get the blame. Nonetheless my question for Abrams is: what TANGIBLES have you promised to black men?” asked Professor Black Truth.
Photo: Georgia Democratic nominee for governor Stacey Abrams unveils a teacher pay raise proposal on June 12, 2022, in Tucker, Ga. Abrams was accepting the endorsement of the Georgia Association of Educators. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
