Stacey Abrams earns praise as Biden leads in Georgia

Public figures lauded voting rights activist candidate Stacey Abrams, as former Vice President Joe Biden gained a razor thin lead over President Trump Friday morning in the Peach State, long thought to be a Republican stronghold.

As of 3 p.m. EST, Biden led Trump by just over 1,600 votes, a tally below a half a percentage point, and a recount is expected.

A Democratic presidential candidate hasn’t carried Georgia since 1992, when former President Bill Clinton won the state.

Current and former lawmakers and officials took to Twitter on Friday to commend the former Georgia gubernatorial candidate for her work helping people in the Peach State register to vote and make their ballots count. 

“Either way this goes in Georgia, we owe @staceyabrams our greatest gratitude and respect. Rarely does one person deserve such disproportionate credit for major progress and change,” former U.N. ambassador and national security adviser Susan Rice tweeted.

Former secretary of State Hillary Clinton simply wrote, “And thank YOU, Stacey. Thank you,” quote tweeting a post from Abrams thanking various organizations for their work helping them get out the vote. 

And thank YOU, Stacey. Thank you. https://t.co/6ZgjYWi6Iu

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 6, 2020

Former Obama administration adviser Valerie Jarrett quoted the same tweet as Hillary Clinton, stating that Abrams had forgotten to thank one person — herself.  

You forgot one important one: @staceyabrams. https://t.co/urMMtjQsfl

— Valerie Jarrett (@ValerieJarrett) November 6, 2020 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) added in her own tweet that the work that Abrams has done in Georgia was “nothing short of remarkable.”

What they have done – from @staceyabrams & @fairfightaction to @ConMijente and the whole underrecognized legion of organizers- is nothing short of remarkable. Give them their flowers

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 6, 2020

Fellow New York progressive Congressman-elect Jamaal Bowman also tweeted thanking Abrams. 

“Black women save this democracy over and over. Thank you @staceyabrams,” he said. 

Black women save this democracy over and over. Thank you @staceyabrams. https://t.co/PHhyw9ohZO

— Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) November 6, 2020

Her work in the Peach State also gained recognition and thanks from Hollywood actors and basketball superstar LeBron James. 

Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis tweeted her gratitude Friday saying, “@StaceyAbrams!! This American citizen would love to thank you from the bottom of her heart!! #GodBlessGeorgia #ThisIsWhatVisionLooksLike #ProudToBeABlackWoman.”  

@StaceyAbrams!! This American citizen would love to thank you from the bottom of her heart!! #GodBlessGeorgia #ThisIsWhatVisionLooksLike #ProudToBeABlackWoman pic.twitter.com/NTAnvgr61n

— Viola Davis (@violadavis) November 6, 2020

Comedian Billy Eichner and late night talk show host James Corden, who is not American, also chimed in to the praise. 

MVP. Thank you @staceyabrams. Queen. pic.twitter.com/KAouIwn8m9

— billy eichner (@billyeichner) November 6, 2020 

Reading about Stacey Abrams this past 24 hours has been beyond inspiring.What she and her team have done to make it possible to vote safely and fairly and legitimately in Georgia is perhaps one of the single most important things to come to fruition this election. Incredible X pic.twitter.com/axtTpYBDDt

— James Corden (@JKCorden) November 6, 2020

James, who has his own voting initiative, More Than a Vote, attributed its voting initiative’s success to powerful Black women including Abrams and former first lady Michelle Obama. 

There is no @morethanavote without @staceyabrams @MichelleObama @Sifill_LDF @KristenClarkeJD YALL DID YO DAMN THING #ThankYouBlackWomen✊

— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 6, 2020

In 2018, Abrams came close to becoming the first Black female governor in the country, narrowly losing to now-Gov. Brian Kemp (R). Democrats believe that Abrams would’ve beaten Kemp if more than 500,000 Georgians had not been purged from the state’s voter rolls. 

The purge is believed to have disproportionately affected registered Black voters and was carried out by Kemp himself, who was the state’s secretary of State at the time.

After her loss, Abrams founded Fair Fight Action — a nonprofit organization focused on combating voter suppression and promoting voter participation mainly in Georgia but also around the country.

Fair Fight Action, along with other Georgia voting rights groups such as The New Georgia Project, has worked the past two years to re-register Georgians who had been purged, including an additional 300,000 voters that were struck from state voting rolls in late 2019.

The result of these efforts was increased voter turnout overall as well as a spike in Black voter participation. Roughly 4.9 million Georgians voted in the election, up from 4.1 million in 2016.

Around 1 million Black Georgians voted early in some way, a considerable increase from the 712,000 who did so in 2016.

Abrams on Friday deferred from taking credit for the increased voter engagement, instead giving shoutouts to other groups and activists that have worked alongside Fair Fight Action.

Georgia, let’s shout out those who’ve been in the trenches and deserve the plaudits for change.

— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) November 6, 2020

“So many deserve credit,” Abrams tweeted, highlighting many including late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who fought vehemently for expanded voting rights protection while in Congress.

“Always John Lewis,” Abrams added. “Charge any omissions to my head. My heart is full.”