ATLANTA | Democrat Stacey Abrams shut down her challenge to Republican Brian Kemp in the Georgia governor’s race on Friday, but still pledged to battle the former secretary of state’s “gross mismanagement” of the elections with a federal lawsuit.
Speaking defiantly, Abrams said her actions did not constitute a concession, but she acknowledged that she had no further recourse under the law and that Kemp would be certified the winner.
“Let’s be clear: This is not a speech of concession,” she said. “Because concession means to acknowledge an action is right, true or proper. As a woman of conscience and faith I cannot concede that.”
Officials from Abrams’ campaign had told The Associated Press on Thursday that the candidate was mulling the unprecedented move of invoking a state law that would let her challenge the results based on “misconduct, fraud or irregularities … sufficient to change or place in doubt the results.”
But ultimately she declined to do so.
In accepting Abrams’ decision to end her campaign, Kemp said he appreciated “her passion, hard work, and commitment to public service.”
“The election is over and hardworking Georgians are ready to move forward,” he said. “We can no longer dwell on the divisive politics of the past but must focus on Georgia’s bright and promising future.”
Abrams’ campaign sparked huge energy across the state and she became a national Democratic star. Election turnout among both sides’ energized bases nearly equaled that of the 2016 presidential vote.
