Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has quietly launched a new political organization to defeat former President Donald Trump and amplify other Democrats on the ticket this November.
While Abrams remains a popular and recognizable figure in Democratic politics, she has kept a low profile since losing to Gov. Brian Kemp for a second time in 2022. But people who donated to Abrams in the past or signed up for her emails have been hearing from her almost daily of late regarding her latest endeavor, Speak Up PAC.
“This moment in history calls on each and every one of us to speak up for diversity, democracy and defeating the forces that seek to oppress us,” Abrams wrote in an inaugural fundraising email Aug. 15. “We each have something to say, and the time to be heard is now. Democracy thrives when we all participate.”
Organizing paperwork for the PAC was filed with the Federal Elections Commission on Aug. 1, just days after President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential contest and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris became the Democratic nominee on Aug. 6.
The PAC’s website provides few details about the organization and its mission beyond its ties to Abrams, a former state House minority leader. Joshua Karp, a spokesman for the PAC, said that it creates new opportunities for Abrams during this election season.
“It’s a crucial election year, and Leader Abrams hasn’t had a federal PAC before, so she has opened one to support Democrats and progressive causes across the country,” Karp said.
He said Abrams will also continue to work with Fair Fight, a voter rights group she formed after her loss in the 2018 race for governor, as well as “other causes.”
The group will eventually submit campaign finance reports that outline donors and spending, but the fundraising emails provide a glimpse into the types of candidates the group supports and opposes.
“Trump is WRONG FOR GEORGIA,” was the subject of one message.
Another identified the PAC’s support for “four history-making candidates,” all Democrats on the ballot this fall: Harris and U.S. Senate candidates Collin Allred in Texas, Angela Alsobrooks in Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester in Delaware. Each, if elected, would be the first Black person to hold their title.
Abrams is a formidable fundraiser, raising $113 million for her second governor’s race in 2022. Her One Georgia Leadership Committee raised just shy of $60 million.
Most of those dollars were spent on Abrams’ campaign, which had millions in debt pending after the election. Dollars raised by those state-based entities cannot be used for federal campaigns.
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