DUNDEY, Georgia – Former Sen. David Purdue ended Trump-inspired campaign for Georgia’s governor with a racist call on Republican primary voters on Monday, accusing Stacy Abrams, the black woman who is the alleged Democratic candidate, of “humiliating” her. she described the state’s problems.
Speaking in front of a predominantly white crowd, Mr Purdue is training his anger at Mrs Abrams, who has struggled to lose the 2018 gubernatorial race to Governor Brian Kemp, the Republican Mr Purdue is fighting to oust from Tuesday’s election. .
Mr Purdue’s remarks about Mrs Abrams went beyond the typical Republican primary campaign of stolen elections and accusations of disloyalty to former President Donald J. Trump. In a state where segregationists once demonized civil rights leaders as unwanted intruders and where it remains controversial to discuss how to interpret the nation’s history of slavery and racism, Mr Purdue portrayed Mrs Abrams as an outsider in a country that was her home since high school.
“Did you see what Stacey said this weekend?” Mr Purdue said from the stage. “She said Georgia was the worst place to live in the country. Hey, she ‘s not from here. Let her go back to where she came from. She doesn’t like it here. “
Mr Perdue also injected competition into Ms Abrams’ 2018 remark about her promise to create jobs in the renewable energy sector.
“People don’t have to work in agriculture or hospitality to make a living in Georgia,” she said in the last weeks of her 2018 campaign. “Why not create renewable energy jobs?” Because I will tell you a secret: climate change is real.
On Monday, Mr Purdue said: “When she told black farmers ‘You don’t have to be on the farm’ and she said to black hospitality workers and all this, ‘You don’t have to be’, she was humiliating her own race. when it comes to this. I’m really over it. It should never be considered material for the governor of any state, much less for our state, in which he hates living.
Mr Purdue’s remarks came in response to Ms Abrams’ comments on Saturday, in which she rejected Mr Kemp’s regular remark that, under his leadership, Georgia had become the nation’s best state for making business.
“I’m tired of hearing that we’re the best state in the country to do business when we’re the worst state in the country to live in,” Ms. Abrams said. She added: “When you are number 48 in mental health, when you are number 1 in maternal mortality, when you have an increase in the number of deprivations and declining wages, then you are not No. 1 place to live.”
After concluding his speech on Monday, Mr Purdue ignored questions about his description of Mrs Abrams and his claim that she was “humiliating” to blacks, and an aide fired him.
The Wisconsin-born Mrs. Abrams spent most of her early childhood in Mississippi, but moved to Georgia to high school. She graduated from Avondale High School in DeKalb County and Spelman College in Atlanta.
During an interview with MSNBC on Monday night, Ms. Abrams declined to comment on Mr. Purdue’s remarks.
“Regardless of who the Republican is, I have not yet heard them formulate a plan for Georgia’s future,” she said.
In addition to his comments on Ms Abrams, Mr Purdue reiterated a series of false allegations made by Mr Trump about the 2020 elections. Asked whether he would accept the results of Tuesday’s primary, Mr Purdue said he would. depends on whether there is “election fraud”.
He also drew attention to a parade of ambitious Republicans – former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and former Vice President Mike Pence on Monday night – touring the state in the final days before Tuesday’s primary election to enjoy the expected victory. -n Kemp.
“It is a sign of honor that they are introducing all these RINOs in the state to support Kemp,” Mr Purdue said, referring only to Republicans. “It just shows the division we have in the party.”
Mr Trump, who refused to host a rally at the end of the Georgia campaign to support Mr Purdue before what sociologists say would be a severe defeat, called Mr Purdue’s event over the phone. He said he was “very disappointed with Mike” and blamed Mr Pence and Mr Christie, saying: “Many of these guys are no longer people we love so much because we love our country”.
Mr Trump predicts Mr Purdue will record a surprise victory on Tuesday.
“You’re the best, boss,” the former senator replied. “Thank you.”
Maya King contributed to a report from Atlanta.
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