Stacey Abrams backs Joe Manchin's voting rights compromise

Stacey Abrams is prepared to get behind Sen. Joe Manchin's (D-W.V.) voting rights compromise.

After Manchin on Wednesday laid out changes he would make to voting reform legislation, Abrams, a voting rights activist and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate, spoke with CNN and was asked if she could support his compromise even if a part of it was a voter identification requirement.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.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.

Abrams told CNN that Manchin's proposals, which also include expanding early voting and banning partisan gerrymandering, are "strong ones that will create a level playing field" and "ensure that every American has improved access to the right to vote." As far as the voting identification requirement goes, Abrams said Manchin's proposal "makes sense," adding that "I support voter identification" while rejecting "restrictive voter identification designed to keep people out of the process."

CNN's John Berman seemed taken aback by Abrams' comments, and Fox News' Arnon Mishkin noted that "if Stacey Abrams supports this voting rights compromise," many Democrats are "likely to fall in line." Indeed, CNN's John Harwood described this as a "breakthrough."

Explore More

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.