What to watch for
The big question in Georgia is whether a progressive Democrat like Abrams can win in a state that’s been so consistently Republican in recent decades. Georgia last elected a Democratic governor in 1998, and hasn’t elected a Democratic U.S. Senator since 1996.
Abrams, a graduate of Yale Law School, gained a reputation as a pragmatic dealmaker during her tenure in the statehouse. But she’s running as a tried-and-true liberal who favors gun control and abortion rights, which may prove to be a tough sell in much of Georgia.
Kemp, meanwhile, is running as a Republican in the Trump mold. “I’ve got a big truck,” he bragged in one campaign ad during the GOP primary, “just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take them home myself.”
In previous years, that contrast in messaging might have given Kemp a decisive edge. But the explosive growth of the diverse Atlanta metropolitan area in recent years, and Mr. Trump’s low approval ratings among college-educated whites, point to a state that is quickly becoming competitive again.
