Stacey Abrams, a rising star in the Democratic Party, said Monday it was possible she could seek her party’s presidential nomination next year.
Abrams’ comment came after an interview at the South by Southwest conference in Texas, where Abrams reportedly said she previously thought 2028 would be the earliest she could run for president, but over Twitter, she clarified: “Now 2020 is definitely on the table.”
If Abrams decides to run, she would jump into a crowded Democratic field that already includes 12 announced campaigns.
A former Georgia state House minority leader, Abrams rose to national prominence last year during a closely fought gubernatorial bid that would have seen her become the first African American woman ever elected governor. She conceded the race amid significant controversy over the way the election was conducted – a process overseen by her opponent, now-Gov. Brian Kemp, who was Georgia’s secretary of state at the time.
Earlier this year, Abrams delivered the Democrats’ official rebuttal to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech.
With the gubernatorial loss behind her and a heightened profile, Abrams has been open about considering her next steps. Lauren Groh-Wargo, Abrams’ former campaign manager, confirmed the intention of the tweet, saying in a Monday statement that Abrams was “taking a look at all options on the table in 2020 and beyond.”
Monday’s comments followed an interview Abrams did with The New York Times, in which she said she was “not going to dismiss it out of hand.”
“I need women of color, particularly black women, to understand that our achievements should not be diminished,” Abrams said.
Outside of a White House bid, Abrams’ name has been floated as a potential challenger to Georgia GOP Sen. David Perdue, a Trump-ally up for re-election next year. CNN reported in January that Abrams had met with top Democrats about a Senate run.