Failed Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams walked back her remark that she doesn’t “run for second place” on Monday, declaring that she would now be “happy” to run as the Democratic presidential candidate’s running mate.
After reports emerged in March that top advisors to former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign discussed preemptively adding Abrams to the top of the ticket in an attempt to show Americans that Biden “isn’t just another old white guy,” Abrams quickly shot down the idea, stating that “you don’t run for second place.”
However, during an appearance at the University of Iowa, Abrams denied that she was ever against running alongside someone as a vice presidential pick, claiming that she was referring specifically to the primaries and not to the general election.
“But when I got the question [from reporters] I was, myself, contemplating my next steps,” Abrams said at an event commemorating 100 years of women’s suffrage. “And what I said was, you do not run in a primary for second place, so no, for whatever rumors are out there. However, I’m not in the primary, but you can run as second in the general election, and I am happy to do so with the nominee. That is my answer.”
Abrams has consistently maintained that she wants to advance her political career and has mulled over a number of options, including a second Georgia gubernatorial run in 2022 or a Senate or presidential run in 2020. She ruled out a Senate run in April, and subsequently announced in August that she would be abstaining from kicking off her own presidential run in favor of focusing her efforts on preventing voter suppression in the upcoming 2020 election.
The former Georgia state lawmaker revealed multiple times over the past few months that she would be “honored” to be considered a running mate to any Democratic nominee, but this is the first time she has tried to clarify her infamous remark about being second place.
While Abrams has never won a federal election, she has been widely promoted as a rising star within the Democratic Party. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer notably asked Abrams to give the Democratic response to the State of the Union address in January, making her the first black woman to have that honor. She has since been floated as a possible running mate to several Democratic presidential candidates.
Abrams is well-known for her consistent accusations of widespread voter suppression during the 2018 election cycle, which she has further claimed was racially motivated. Following Abrams’ loss, she appeared regularly on cable news shows and at private events to repeat those assertions. There has been no evidence to corroborate Abrams’ claims.
Accordingly, Abrams launched a new initiative called Fair Fight 2020. The organization is billed as a fighter for “free, fair, and secure elections,” though its goal is also to elect Democratic lawmakers. Fair Fight 2020 will only be working with Democratic state parties or local allies across the country, according to its website.
The initiative is seemingly an extension of Fair Fight Action, which was launched by Abrams after her loss to now-Gov. Brian Kemp to “pursue accountability in Georgia’s elections and integrity in the process of maintaining our voter rolls,” according to a press release.
Fair Fight Action sued the state of Georgia only two weeks after Abrams’ failed gubernatorial bid, alleging widespread voter suppression. However, the lawsuit condemns legislation that Abrams herself helped pass while she was a member of the Georgia State Assembly. The lawsuit is still ongoing.