Early voting for the May 22 primary began on Monday, leaving less than three weeks for voters to decide who to support in the upcoming election. In the Democratic primary, more than half of voters are still in the undecided category, per a recent poll conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Currently, former House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams is polling at 33% and former State Representative Stacey Evans is polling at 15%. Even at this late stage, the Democratic primary could easily swing either way.
As one might expect with so many undecided voters, both Staceys are working harder than ever to define both themselves and one another. Unfortunately for those interested in Democratic unity, the primary looks likely to become only more brutal in the final weeks. Most recently, the Abrams campaign targeted the Evans camp with an ethics complaint regarding campaign contributions (Abrams has been targeted for similar reasons by an ethics watchdog activist) and a controversial tweet by Abrams’ campaign finance manager about an endorsement from the Georgia Federation of Teachers. It is no longer enough for Abrams to present herself as the liberal firebrand and for Evans to present herself as the passionate, yet moderate, fighter. Both women can and will have to do more to distinguish themselves from one another.
The good news is that there is a significant level of interest in this campaign. Both candidates have drawn millions of dollars in campaign contributions, with each running close to or outraising every Republican candidate except for Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle (more on that next week). People all over the country are paying attention to this race, from liberal advocacy groups to Democrats who just want to see progress in a state which is quickly becoming one of the most competitive in the United States.
If either Abrams or Evans are reading this, I would offer a word of caution: please be careful not to tear one another down too much. The last thing we want in this primary is another Cathy Cox – Mark Taylor scenario, where the enthusiasm of the losing candidate’s supporters is muted by criticism of the winning candidate’s that can never be rescinded. For Democrats and forward-thinking independents, the key thing to remember is that a Democrat in the Governor’s Mansion gives us a great deal more influence when it comes to progressive priorities such as LGBTQ rights and Medicaid expansion. Both Abrams and Evans would make stellar governors, a fact which I hope each acknowledges about the other the moment this primary ends.
