The 2022 Georgia governor’s race is going to be lit. In fact, it already sort of is. On the bright side, that means a Republican civil war based on Donald Trump’s attacks on Gov. Brian Kemp. On the dark, almost inevitably racist side, that means nearly two years of gross attacks to come against Stacey Abrams.
A pro-Kemp Republican group has already launched to target Abrams. The goal of “Stop Stacey” is kind of right there in the name, but as they explain in a statement, “We will do whatever it takes to expose Stacey Abrams’ radical network, highlight her dangerous agenda, and ultimately defeat her—and her left-wing candidates—at the ballot box.”
Apparently it took losses in the presidential race and two Senate races to get them to take Abrams seriously? Although, to be fair, Kemp took her seriously enough in 2018 to do extra voter suppression, even by Georgia standards.
Abrams, mind you, hasn’t even declared an intent to run in 2022, though Kemp’s buddies are not the only people who expect her to do so.
Kemp and his friends should probably be focusing their attentions on their own party at this point in the process. After all, Trump has called for Kemp to resign, calling him “an obstructionist who refuses to admit that we won Georgia, BIG!” and “a complete disaster.” Trump has specifically suggested at a rally that former Rep. Doug Collins should run against Kemp.
But Republicans know that if Abrams runs, their nominee will face her in November 2022, and we should absolutely expect that they will stop at nothing to stop her. The amount of mud and worse flung is going to be mind-boggling—and by its very existence a recognition of Abrams’ effectiveness at organizing Georgia voters.