Stacey Abrams isn’t ruling out another campaign for Georgia governor, despite two previous defeats. In a wide-ranging interview with NPR on Tuesday, the prominent Democrat said she remains focused on protecting democracy ahead of the 2026 elections—and defended
progressive
politics as consistent with Christian values.
“I truly have not made any decisions, and that is in part because there’s an urgency to 2025 that we cannot ignore,” Abrams said. “My focus right now is on how do we ensure we have free and fair elections in 2026? There’s a lot of hope being pinned on those midterms.”
Abrams, the former minority leader of the Georgia House of
Representatives
, lost her first gubernatorial bid to Republican Brian Kemp in 2018 and was defeated again in their 2022 rematch. Despite the setbacks, she remains an influential figure in Democratic politics and voting rights advocacy.
Faith and Politics
Abrams also discussed the role of faith in shaping her political beliefs, arguing that Christianity calls for compassion toward marginalized communities.
“I cannot call myself a Christian and not believe it’s my
responsibility
to help the stranger, to help immigrants, to help the dispossessed,” she said. “I cannot say that my faith justifies the venom that’s been turned against the LGBTQIA community or the way we’ve demonized the transgender community.”
She added that her views stem from watching her parents live out their values through faith, education, and service to others. “For me, those are the values that guide me—my faith first and foremost.”
Criticism of Trump’s Policies
Abrams also took aim at former President Donald Trump, denouncing his use of military force to suppress civil unrest in Los Angeles. In June, Trump deployed 700 Marines and 2,000 National Guard troops to the city following protests against ICE enforcement actions that turned violent.
“That was a violation of every precept of democratic rule under civilian leadership that we have in this country,” Abrams said.
She was particularly critical of Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including one titled
Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity
.
The order banned DEI programs across federal agencies and encouraged private companies to follow suit.
“For me, the most important piece was the number of directives that came out right away against DEI,” Abrams said. “People tried to dismiss it as just targeting quotas or HR policy, but it was really about laying the groundwork for broader attacks on vulnerable communities.”
According to Abrams, these early actions served to justify later policies that she sees as discriminatory: “If you can demonize at the beginning, it becomes a lot easier to
dehumanize
when it matters.”
While Abrams has not confirmed a third run for office, her comments suggest she remains deeply engaged in the political and cultural debates shaping Georgia and the country at large.
