In Georgia’s gubernatorial primary, Democrats elected the state’s first woman nominee from either party, but no Republican candidate could gather more than 50 percent of the vote — so the top two face a July runoff.
If Stacey Abrams wins in November, she’ll become the first black woman governor in the U.S. She will face either Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle or Secretary of State Brian Kemp. Their runoff is scheduled for July 24.
Abrams beat former state Rep. Stacey Evans. The one-time legislative colleagues tussled over ethics accusations and their records on education. Both are Atlanta-area attorneys. Abrams got a last-minute boost with an endorsement — in the form of a 60-second robo-call — from Hillary Clinton.
In the Republican race, Cagle and Kemp beat three GOP rivals in a race characterized by strong support for gun rights and tough talk on immigration. The field was all white men – former legislators, officeholders and businessmen, some with decades of political experience and others positioning themselves as outsiders challenging the establishment.
In the ballroom of a downtown Atlanta hotel, Abrams supporters trickled in to a soundtrack of R&B and hip-hop songs. Two young women — one black and one white and both wearing shirts reading “Elect Black Women” — huddled over a table as Rihanna’s “Diamonds” played in the background.
