SAN ANTONIO – In a few months, Stacey Abrams could be in the thick of the race for Georgia governor. But on Monday, she’ll take the stage before a packed crowd in downtown San Antonio to talk politics with left-leaning Texans.
It’s part of a nationwide tour that takes Abrams to about a dozen stops over the next two months, from the outskirts of the Alamo to the Research Triangle, in what organizers are billing as “exciting conversations on politics, leadership and social justice.”
And her messaging could also be a preview of her expected rematch against Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who narrowly defeated her in 2018. Though Abrams hasn’t said whether she’ll run next year, senior party officials anticipate she’ll enter the contest.
Regardless of whether Abrams is in the race yet, Republicans are already running against her. Conservative candidates from U.S. Senate down to county commissioner are invoking her on the campaign trail, painting Abrams as the liberal face of the party.
That’s just fine with top Democrats in Atlanta and Washington, who view her as the best shot to unseat Kemp. The Republican continues to face backlash from pro-Donald Trump factions in the GOP, and the former president is set to sharpen that rift at a rally this weekend in Perry.
Abrams, meanwhile, appears to be in no rush to announce. And there’s little reason for her to dive in imminently. There’s no other credible Democratic contender in the contest, nor is there even a legitimate whisper of one. She’s got sky-high visibility in Georgia and a powerful fundraising machine.
Which offers a reason why Abrams is embarking on a nationwide tour before sold-out crowds far from Georgia.
Aside from promoting the collection of books she’s authored, the tour offers Abrams another chance to sharpen her national profile and amass new potential donors. In the meantime, her GOP critics eagerly pointed out none of the stops are scheduled in Georgia.
“Her nationwide trip only stands to show once again that Abrams will always put herself before Georgians,” said Garrison Douglas of the Republican National Committee.
Abrams seems intent on showing national audiences set to crowd sold-out venues a slice of her personal life. In a preview interview with a San Antonio TV station, she highlighted her experience as a romance novelist, a childhood job teaching horseback riding and an award she won showing cattle at a livestock show.
She’s also certain to talk of her future political goals. Asked by a KSAT reporter ahead of her visit if she aimed to be the first Black woman president, Abrams didn’t mince words.
“I don’t think that that’s the question,” Abrams responded. “For me, the issue is, ‘Do I want to run for president one day?’ And my answer is, unequivocally, yes.”
