Who is Stacey Abrams? Things to know about the Georgia Democrat

Stacey Abrams has been a figure in Georgia politics for more than a decade.

The Yale Law School graduate was elected to the State House in 2006. Four years later, House Democrats elected her at their leader.

In 2018, Abrams ran for Georgia Governor against Republican Brian Kemp. Abrams built a large national profile as she sought to become the first black woman elected governor in the nation. Her campaign featured a platform that included boosting public education, the expansion of Medicaid and gun safety She also faced questions over her debt, which includes about $54,000 to the Internal Revenue Service. “You can delay IRS payments,” Abrams said. “You can’t delay cancer treatments.”

Abrams fell short in the election garnering about 49 percent of the vote. That mark was best Democratic performance in a Georgia Governor election since 1998 when Roy Barnes was elected.

After her loss, Abrams has been mentioned as a potential challenger to U.S. Senator David Perdue in 2020. She has said she plans to run for office again but is not sure which one.

Abrams is set to deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s 2019 State of the Union speech.

More about Stacey Abrams

Profile: As she runs for governor, Stacey Abrams evokes her life story

In Depth: Stacey Abrams’ record

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