Stacey Abrams announced she will not run for Georgia governor in 2026, choosing to focus on national advocacy to defend democracy rather than pursue another statewide campaign. Abrams narrowly lost to Gov. Brian Kemp in 2018 and again in 2022 after raising more than $110 million for the rematch. Her organizations helped Democrats win key 2020–2021 contests, though the New Georgia Project dissolved after a fine. With Abrams out, Democrats including Keisha Lance Bottoms and Geoff Duncan are competing for the nomination, while Republicans such as Lt. Gov. Burt Jones—backed by Donald Trump—vie for the GOP nod.
Stacey Abrams Says No To 2026 Georgia Governor Race, Will Focus On National Fight For Democracy
After 2 straight losses, Democrat Stacey Abrams sits out 2026 race for Georgia governor
Stacey Abrams, the two-time Democratic nominee for Georgia governor, announced she will not run for the governorship in 2026. Instead, Abrams said she will concentrate on her national advocacy work aimed at protecting democratic institutions and opposing what she describes as a drift toward authoritarianism under President Donald Trump.
Abrams Cites National Priorities Over Another Statewide Run
"Americans are in pain but they are ready to act, and now is the moment to reconnect to what is at stake and what is possible," Abrams wrote in a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It’s clear to me that the most effective way I can serve right now is by continuing to do this important work. For that reason, I will not seek elected office in 2026."
Abrams narrowly lost to Republican Brian Kemp in the 2018 gubernatorial contest and was defeated again in a 2022 rematch by nearly eight percentage points. Her 2018 campaign drew national attention as she nearly became the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history; her refusal to concede immediately after that razor-thin loss made her a polarizing national figure and a top target for Republicans.
Stacey Abrams, seen here at Georgia State University on Nov. 7, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia, will not run for governor in 2026.
After the 2018 election, Abrams founded the Fair Fight network and the voter-registration group New Georgia Project, efforts credited with helping Democrats carry Georgia in the 2020 presidential election and win the Jan. 5, 2021 U.S. Senate runoffs. Abrams raised more than $110 million for her 2022 campaign, but the incumbent prevailed.
In recent years, parts of the political apparatus that Abrams helped build have lost momentum. The New Georgia Project was dissolved last year after a $300,000 fine related to its involvement in the 2018 campaign, according to reporting.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, seen speaking with Fox News Digital during his 2022 re-election campaign, is term-limited and cannot run for re-election in 2026.
Who’s Running Now
With Abrams out of the race, several Democrats have already entered the 2026 contest. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who served as White House director of the Office of Public Engagement under President Joe Biden, is widely viewed as a front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Also running on the Democratic side are former state representative Ruwa Romman, former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, and former lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan, who was elected as a Republican in 2018 and is running as a Democrat in this cycle.
On the Republican side, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones carries the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Other GOP candidates include Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Nonpartisan handicappers see the general-election contest as competitive: The Cook Political Report rates it a toss-up, while Inside Elections and Sabato’s Crystal Ball consider the race to tilt or lean Republican.
In her statement, Abrams framed her decision as a tactical and moral choice: she said defending democracy and mobilizing civic engagement are the most effective ways she can serve at this moment.
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