'I was wrong': Stacey Abrams says she once opposed abortion
Stacey Abrams, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for Georgia, during a news conference on Georgia's economy in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Abrams highlighted her plans to create jobs, expand opportunity and grow Georgias economy
ATLANTA - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams told the New York Times she once opposed abortion.
In an article published Saturday morning, Abrams said she once criticized a friend who considered having an abortion, but now says she was "wrong."
"I've worked hard to make myself right," Abrams told the New York Times' Maya King.
Abrams' parents were Methodist ministers. According to her campaign website, Abrams grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi, and her parents emphasized values of church and school with her and five siblings.
Abrams said conversations with other women and a friend made her change her stance on the issue.
"I want people to understand that I know where they're coming from," Abrams told the NYT.
Abrams said she first re-considered her stance in college but didn't change her mind, even after law school.
Abrams said she ultimately decided abortion may not be a procedure she wanted for herself, but she would fight to protect access to it. She had to confront the issue when she began to pursue political ambitions.
Abrams said she was "enraged" by the United States Supreme Court's decision in a case that overturned the precedent set by Roe v. Wade.
Most abortions are banned in Georgia since a 2019 law, known as the "Heartbeat Bill," took effect. Abrams has placed the blame for the law at the feet of the man who signed it, Gov. Brian Kemp.
"Things go up, things go down. But this law is permanent. Unless we have new leadership, this law will govern their lives, the lives of their daughters, the lives of their friends," Abrams said.
Some Democrats believe prioritizing social issues like abortion appeals to voters, but polls indicate most people said the economy would have more of an impact on their vote than abortion. Georgia Life Alliance Executive Director Martha Zoller thinks other issues will influence voters more than abortion access.
"I really think when it comes right down to it, these issues related to education, the economy, inflation, just getting through day-to-day, the housing market, those are going to far outweigh for people with families," Zoller said. "And that’s a lot of East Cobb folks."
Kemp’s campaign has criticized Abrams as too liberal. Abrams' campaign, meanwhile, has argued the governor's record shows he's "pretty out of step with Georgia voters."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.