She isn’t admitting it yet — and probably never will — but Stacey Abrams appears to know she is going to lose her bid to oust Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday. After struggling to maintain the level of support she received in her first attempt in 2018, it seems the writing is on the wall.
But what is noteworthy about this particular episode is who Abrams appears to blame for her impending defeat: Black male voters.
During an appearance on MSNBC, Abrams addressed her troubling poll numbers, especially her declining support in the black community. She said:
I do not believe it’s because of a deep well of enthusiasm for my opponent. We know that black voters are often discounted. And unfortunately, this year, black men have been a very targeted population for misinformation. Not misinformation about what they want, but about why they want what they deserve. My campaign has been the only one that has very intentionally, thoughtfully and consistently reached out.
Stacey Abrams explaining her poll numbers: "Unfortunately, this year, black men have been a very targeted population for misinformation. Not misinformation about what they want but about why they want what they deserve." pic.twitter.com/HhPxK0vVgj
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) November 6, 2022
NewsNation reporter Zaid Jilani pointed out the difference between the percentage of black voters supporting Abrams currently vs what the numbers were in 2018:
Re: the line about concern vs. respect, the Marist poll of the race shows Abrams at 82% of African American voters which would be a considerable decline from 2018 if it ends up mirroring final result
Re: the line about concern vs. respect, the Marist poll of the race shows Abrams at 82% of African American voters which would be a considerable decline from 2018 if it ends up mirroring final result: https://t.co/vunH9ihCFK pic.twitter.com/oHhfILd6os
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) November 6, 2022
In 2018, Abrams received support from over 90% of black voters in Georgia. As Jilani said in another tweet, when it comes to the concerns of black men, it’s all about the jobs:
I think there’s a pretty simple reason Kemp might be doing better with black men than he did in 2018. A few days ago he was at the groundbreaking of a Hyundai electric vehicle plant outside Savannah, the largest economic development in GA history. It’s jobs.
I think there's a pretty simple reason Kemp might be doing better with black men than he did in 2018. A few days ago he was at the groundbreaking of a Hyundai electric vehicle plant outside Savannah, the largest economic development in GA history. It's jobs.
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) November 6, 2022
But perhaps this speaks to the reason why Abrams’ support among black men has fallen. She intimated they are somehow more susceptible to believing “misinformation” instead of addressing the issues they care about. This is not about fake news, it is about the fact that black Americans are being disproportionately impacted by the dire economic situation Democrats have created since controlling the government.
But perhaps this is a prelude to what we will see after the election. Democrats have already been looking for something to blame for their losses. They have already targeted white suburban women — they might as well throw black men in for good measure, right?
Abrams has made overtures toward black men at certain points in her campaign, recognizing that their votes are critical to her political future. But so far, it does not appear her efforts are paying off as they did in 2018. Given that Kemp leads her by 8 points according to the latest RealClearPolitics average, it is probable that he will be serving another term as Georgia’s governor.
Story cited here.
