Stacey Abrams, who handily won the Georgia Democratic primary for governor, dismissed on Wednesday the state’s traditionally deep red status as an obstacle in her general election candidacy.
“I think we are a blue state, we’re just a little confused,” Abrams told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New Day.” “We haven’t had candidates who have done the work of really lifting up the voice.”
Abrams defeated former Georgia state representative and moderate Stacey Evans. If elected, Abrams would be the country’s first black female governor.
“We’re not going to win trying to put together the old guard coalition,” Abrams said Wednesday. “We have a new opportunity because Georgia has changed dramatically in the last 15 years. And we know if we take advantage of that change, we can actually get to victory.”
Abrams, who ran a progressive campaign with endorsements from US Sens. Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, could face headwinds in the general election – President Donald Trump carried the state with 51% of the vote in 2016.
Still, Abrams touted her liberal bona fides, telling CNN, “I am very proud to only ever have gotten Ds and Fs from the NRA, the only bad grades my parents have ever been proud of.”