Abrams' Support Among Black Voters Slips

Stacey Abrams had reason to think she could count on Black voters in her race for governor of Georgia this fall. They nearly pushed the Democrat over the top in 2018, when she lost the governor's race to Brian Kemp. But polls suggest Abrams has a problem, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The newspaper's polling shows her with 79% of support from Black voters, while Democrats typically do about 10 percentage points better. Her backing slips to 75% among Black men. About 20% of Black men support Kemp. Other recent polls show similar results.

Those polls show the Republican incumbent receives a positive approval rating from about 30% of Black voters, while the newspaper found his support from Black voters to be in double digits. One of those Black voters said he agrees with Kemp's policies, so there's no need for a change. "It's not really about Stacey Abrams—it's more about the governor's agenda," said John Francois, an accountant. Democrats are counting on Abrams after praising her for her efforts to register voters and battle voter suppression. One Democratic lawmaker said, "Right now, people are concerned—kind of looking sideways," per the New York Times.

"We're coming at this in a moment of time when Black voters feel taken for granted in the Democratic Party," said Lauren Groh-Wargo, Abrams' campaign manager. "They worked hard to get rid of Donald Trump, and they want to know people are fighting for them." Abrams has been focusing more lately on Black voters, including men. She introduced her father, Robert, at an event in Atlanta. "I am not a Black man, but I've been raised by one," she told the crowd. "And I am always going to say that if Black men stand with me and vote for me and work with me, we can change the future of Georgia." (More Stacey Abrams stories.)