Stacey Abrams has won a bitterly contested primary for the Democratic candidate in Georgia's upcoming gubernatorial race; Abrams aims to be the first Black, woman governor in US history, and she plans on taking that office with an "unapologetic progressive" platform of gun control, financial aid for low-income families, and marijuana decriminalization.
Abrams had some establishment backing (she was endorsed by Hillary Clinton), but she was definitely the most anti-establishment candidate in the race; she trounced rival Stacey Evans, who was able to spend $2 million out of her own pocket to contest the nomination (by contrast, Abrams is $200,000 in debt, and owes $54,000 to the IRS and is on a structured payback plan with them).
In her victory speech, Abrams moved to unite the party by praising Evans' supporters. She pledged to repeal a campus carry law, expand the HOPE scholarship, improve workforce training programs and strengthen labor unions.And she tried to appeal to more centrist voters by saying she would be the "state's public education governor" – emphasis on the word "public."
"Together we will shape a future with a boundless belief in the historic investment of children who are at the very core of every decision we make," she said.
Georgia Election: Stacey Abrams wins Democratic primary [Greg Bluestein/Atlanta Journal Constitution]
(Image: Kerri Battles, CC-BY-SA)
(via Naked Capitalism)
