Stacey Abrams told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday she will not run for president in 2020 and will instead focus on a national expansion of her voting rights group.
The Georgia Democrat said in an interview shortly after unveiling her new voting rights venture in Las Vegas that her "best value-add in the primaries will be doing the work of fighting voter suppression." She added: "I will not be running."
Abrams, who lost a close bid for Georgia governor in 2018, was not seen as likely to join the two dozen other Democrats competing to challenge President Donald Trump next year. But she also hadn't ruled out a run, fanning speculation she could make a late White House bid.
She closed the door on that talk minutes after she rolled out her plan to expand her Georgia-based voting rights group by training staffers in 20 competitive states to protect against threats of voter suppression.
Still, she did not shut down the possibility of accepting an offer to be a vice presidential running mate or, as is widely expected, launch a rematch against Gov. Brian Kemp in 2022. Abrams came within about 55,000 votes of defeating Kemp in the tightest Georgia gubernatorial contest in decades.
"My political future will be determined in the future. But my present and the work that needs to be done before my party chooses the nominee will be focusing on electoral opportunities and fighting voter suppression," she said.
"We have to make certain that every eligible American can cast a ballot in 2020 -- and that work has to start now."
(c)2019 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Atlanta, Ga.)
