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Georgia Gov. Kemp Opens Up 8-Point Lead: Was Stacey Abrams Caught Lacking With Black Men?

Georgia Gov. Kemp Opens Up 8-Point Lead: Was Stacey Abrams Caught Lacking With Black Men?

Abrams

In this photo, Abrams, May 20, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Despite a major push to get Black male voters on her side to close up a 5-point gap between her and incumbent Georgia governor Brian Kemp, second-time candidate Stacey Abrams failed not only to close the gap, but Kemp now leads by 8 points.

Half of likely Georgia voters in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll released on Sept. 21 said they would support Kemp, while 42 percent said they backed Abrams, The Hill reported.

The Dems were counting on Abrams besting Kemp this time around. She helped get President Joe Biden into office after rallying voters and is credited with turning the Southern state blue. In 2019 she founded Fair Fight Action, an organization focused on addressing voter suppression,. Prior to this, she was the minority leader of the state House.

“Georgia is essential. We know that Raphael Warnock is going to be essential to holding the Senate. We know that Sanford Bishop’s race down in the 2nd District can be part of the puzzle to holding the House,” Abrams said in an interview with NBC News correspondent Blayne Alexander.

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Abrams has focused on issues like abortion, gun violence and the economy. And, she has been wooing Black men.

She has lost some ground with Black men, who provided crucial backing in her narrow loss to Kemp in 2018, The New York Times reported. She knows she must get Black men on her side and out to the polls on her behalf.

“If Black men vote for me, I will win Georgia,” Abrams said during a campaign event titled “Stacey and the Fellas” at Forks & Flavors, a Black-owned eatery in Cobb County. The event was to help her connect with Black male voters.

Abrams 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.

She had trouble attracted the Black male vote in her first run as well. 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.

Abrams, 48, kicked off her campaign for governor in December 2021. She is going up against Kemp, who defeated her in 2018.

The election takes place Nov. 8.

In this photo, Abrams participates in a debate against Stacey Evans, May 20, 2018, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)