“Stacey will absolutely have the resources to compete” in the fall, Representative Nikema Williams, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Georgia,
“Stacey will absolutely have the resources to compete” in the fall, Representative Nikema Williams, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, said in an interview. “But it takes money to organize voters. This isn’t about waiting until after Labor Day.”
For now, Abrams is getting some rhetorical help from the former president, who has said it would be “OK with me” if she ousted Kemp. Trump has attacked the governor relentlessly, including in a statement on Tuesday that called Kemp “very weak.” The former president added: “Most importantly, he can’t win because the MAGA base — which is enormous — will never vote for him.”
Understand the 2022 Midterm Elections
Why are these midterms so important? This year’s races could tip the balance of power in Congress to Republicans, hobbling President Biden’s agenda for the second half of his term. They will also test former President Donald J. Trump’s role as a G.O.P. kingmaker. Here’s what to know:
What’s the political price of being iced out by Trump?
Tonight’s primaries showcase a variety of ways Trump can show his distaste or ambivalence for Republican politicians: withdraw an endorsement, withhold one or retreat from one he has already given.
In Alabama, no candidate for Senate or governor has Trump’s backing. In the Republican Senate primary, Trump withdrew his support for Representative Mo Brooks, who had been lagging in public polling earlier this year. But Brooks has seen a surge in support in the last few weeks, and he could end up progressing to a runoff election.
In the governor’s race, Trump’s lack of endorsement carries some political weight, too. He has endorsed candidates for governor in about 16 races, including six incumbents. Noticeably absent from that list is Gov. Kay Ivey, who faces a primary challenge. She is still considered the favorite, but it’s possible she will be dragged into a runoff.
Across the political map, Trump has often embraced challengers — a tactic that has pushed multiple House Republicans who voted to impeach him into calling it quits.
But he might have bitten off more than he could chew in Georgia, where Kemp, Trump’s top target in the 2022 primaries, is expected to sail to the nomination. Meanwhile, Perdue, a former senator whom Trump recruited to run against Kemp, has struggled to gain traction.
www.nytimes.com