David Perdue says Stacey Abrams is 'demeaning her own race'
![David Perdue.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Srjq2RqZsgBHgzd34QZJNc-415-80.jpg)
David Perdue, the former Republican senator from Georgia now vying to be the state's GOP gubernatorial candidate, accused Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams of "demeaning her own race."
Abrams is a Black woman, and over the weekend, she pushed back at Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's (R) statement that Georgia is the best state for businesses. "I am tired of hearing about being the best state in the country to do business when we are the worst state in the country to live," Abrams said. "When you're No. 48 for mental health, when you're No. 1 for maternal mortality, when you have an incarceration rate that's on the rise and wages that are on the decline, then you are not the No. 1 place to live."
On Monday, the eve of the primaries, Perdue asked a crowd of supporters, "Did you all see what Stacey said this weekend? She said that Georgia is the worst place in the country to live. Hey, she ain't from here. Let her go back to where she came from. She doesn't like it here." Abrams was born in Wisconsin and moved to Georgia while in high school.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Perdue also brought up remarks she made in 2018, when Abrams said, "People shouldn't have to go into agriculture or hospitality to make a living in Georgia. Why not create renewable energy jobs? Because I'm going to tell y'all a secret: Climate change is real."
He characterized Abrams' remarks as a directive to Black people, saying, "When she told Black farmers, 'You don't need to be on the farm,' and when she told Black workers in hospitality and all this, 'You don't need to be,' she is demeaning her own race when it comes to that. I am really over this. She should never be considered material for governor of any state, much less our state where she hates to live." The New York Times reports that after Perdue made this statement, reporters asked him about his comments, "and an aide hustled him off."
During an interview with MSNBC's Joy Reid, Abrams declined to comment on Perdue's remarks, saying instead, "Regardless of which Republican it is, I have yet to hear them articulate a plan for the future of Georgia."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Nasa's 'strangest find': pure sulphur on Mars
Under the Radar Curiosity rover discovers elemental sulphur rocks, adding to 'growing evidence' of life-sustaining elements on Red Planet
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Bodycam shows deputy killing Black woman
Speed Read An Illinois deputy fatally shot Sonya Massey, who had called 911 about suspected trespassers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Spare us the charade'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia bombs Kyiv children's hospital
Speed Reads The daytime barrage interrupted heart surgeries and killed at least 40 people
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published