Prominent Democrat Stacey Abrams joined the small group of her party members who have spoken out in favor of President Biden’s candidacy, stating that she completely supports the incumbent but is skeptical that the debate’s aftermath will persuade liberals to change their beliefs.
No one on the left is abruptly defecting from Biden’s camp to support Trump, according to Abrams, a former minority leader in the Georgia State House who gained notoriety for her refusal to accept defeat in the 2018 election to Gov. Brian Kemp.
According to Stacey Abrams in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “the anti-Biden doom loop feels loud right now, but it is largely a phenomenon among those who obsessively follow the news or want to make the news.”
“Most of the voters Biden has won and needs to win again already know his foibles, and they aren’t turning in droves to say, ‘I’m now voting for the bombastic fascistic liar’.”
Trump has slammed Abrams multiple times in the past, including in regard to a so-called “consent decree” between Georgia officials and Abrams-aligned political activists regarding ballot signature matching procedures in 2020.
The former president, however, has also obliquely praised Abrams when lashing out at Kemp; the rare conservative he has publicly criticized.
“Of course, having [Abrams] might be better than having your existing governor, if you want to know the truth,” Trump quipped during a 2021 rally in Perry, Georgia.
In her comments, Abrams said the Trump-Biden debate fallout has concentrated on “performance versus principle.”
“Good people stumble. Liars lie,” Abrams said. “In the face of the latter, we have become myopically fascinated because, for some, soothing anxiety seems easier than confronting the slow-motion death of democracy.”
Stacey Abrams argued that, among the two contenders, Biden is the only one who does not pose a threat to America’s institutions.
Stacey Abrams called Trump a “self-serving felon” who embodies “dictatorial tendencies” that outweigh any concerns about Biden.
Abrams went on to call for Biden to stay in the White House and remain in the presidential race, arguing that starting fresh this late in the game could weaken Democrats’ message and supplant a man with a “significant national record.”
“Let’s be clear: The wishful benefits of a contested convention or a late-stage exit are vastly outweighed by the potential harm. President Joe Biden has the integrity, moral character, and record needed to beat Donald Trump in November,” Abrams said.
“Our path to victory lies in standing by Biden and understanding the high stakes of this election.”
Stacey Abrams unsuccessfully ran against Kemp in 2022, but conceded soon after the election.
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment for this story.