Stacey Abrams: GOP Governor Wants a Georgia Boycott So He’ll Have ‘Someone to Blame’

“Unlike previous boycotts that have worked in the South, the length of time it takes for a boycott to take effect would be devastating,” politician says

Stacey Abrams Georgia boycott
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

Stacey Abrams says that Georgia governor Brian Kemp is “reveling in the potential of a boycott” from Hollywood or other organizations because it would give the GOP governor “someone to blame for his own actions.”

Abrams said she’s a daughter of the South and respects the idea of boycotts. But in this situation, in response to the restrictive voting laws passed by the state’s legislature, she feels a boycott could be “devastating” to the economy and to the people the oppressive voting laws specifically impact.

“Boycotts work best when the target of your boycott is responsive, and unfortunately we are not dealing with good actors here. The governor of Georgia is reveling in the potential of a boycott because it gives him someone to blame for his own actions,” Abrams said in a panel discussion Friday. “Unlike previous boycotts that have worked in the South, the length of time it takes for a boycott to take effect would be devastating to an economy, devastating to people, devastating to the targets of this terrible, vicious legislation.”

Abrams spoke on a panel called “Women in Focus” sponsored through Chapman University and Glamour and was asked specifically about the prospect of Hollywood pulling productions from Georgia by moderator Janice Min, the contributing editor of TIME.

“My deep concern is that if we call for a boycott, the very people who are helping change the nature of economic opportunity and political opportunity will leave us behind. So my message is stay and fight,” Abrams continued. “Come and lift up your voices and join us. But do not let them force out the very people we need to have here and the very jobs we need to have here to make the potential change real in the South. So come, stay, fight, we’ll get it done.”

Abrams was joined on the panel by Samantha Barry, editor-in-chief of Glamour, “Full Frontal” host Samantha Bee, Amazon’s Jennifer Salke, Walt Disney Television chairman of entertainment Dana Walden, and actor and activist Eva Longoria.

Stacey Abrams previously pleaded with corporate leaders to not boycott the state of Georgia, laying out three steps organizations can take to combat voter suppression. And it was also reported earlier this week that Abrams tried to convince MLB to keep the All-Star Game in Georgia.

Abrams was also asked by Min whether she’s planning on running for governor in Georgia, though she said that she has not yet made any decisions. She is however already having conversations for what her next project will be in Hollywood.

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