Abrams Brings Ga. Politics To Nat’l Stage In SOTU Response

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Democrat Stacey Abrams delivers the response to the State of the Union address in downtown Atlanta Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019

Former Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams became the first African-American woman to deliver a response to the State of the Union Tuesday night.

Blazoned with a white brooch symbolizing women’s suffrage, Abrams said that a renewed commitment to social and economic justice would create a stronger America, and that the country wins by “fighting for our shared values against all enemies foreign and domestic.”

At Noni’s on Edgewood Avenue in Atlanta, the only open space to watch the night’s addresses was from behind the bar. Close to 200 people showed up to a watch party sponsored by Abrams’ new voting rights group, Fair Fight Action.

I’m posted up behind the bar at Noni’s at the downtown ATL #Abramsaddress watch party because it’s so packed. I’ll be covering the #SOTU and response tonight here. #gapol pic.twitter.com/G9AuU1CUhl— stephen fowler | georgia politics reporter (@stphnfwlr) February 6, 2019

Other people joined watch parties in strategic locations across the state and country – Washington, D.C., Augusta and Las Vegas, to name a few.

Here, state Rep. Park Cannon (D-Atlanta) warmed up the crowd before Abrams spoke, thanking them for their attendance and part in witnessing black history in action.

“This is amazing that we are here together in this space,” Cannon said. “I see so many different faces of so many different backgrounds, generations, ages and I want to thank you all for being here.”

The former state house minority leader wove in personal anecdotes about her family with national issues like health care, education and immigration, and touted her bipartisan work with Republican Gov. Nathan Deal and other leaders.

Hope Norris said she drove from Acworth to support Abrams' speech. 

"But I also wanted to hear her positive message to the United States, so hopefully she will give everyone... hope," she said.

Abrams is currently mulling a run for U.S. Senate in 2020 against Republican Senator David Perdue, and is expected to make a decision by the end of March.