Georgia voters have reported receiving racist robocalls attacking the state’s Democratic candidate for governor, Stacey Abrams, and Oprah Winfrey, who is campaigning for her.
The call mocked Winfrey as a “magical negro” and described Abrams as her “fellow negress” and “someone white women can be tricked into voting for, especially the fat ones.”
The caller claimed “the Jews who own the American media saw something” in Winfrey — referring to an apparent ability to appeal to white women — and stated that Abrams shared “that same potential.”
The recording went on to mockingly promise a new car to voters who cast their ballots for Abrams, alluding to a well-known Winfrey giveaway prize from her days as a daytime TV show host.
This racist right-wing robocall from Georgia imitating Oprah to smear Stacey Abrams is abhorrent. Disgraceful that in 2018 conservative America is still using the bigoted strategies of the George Wallaces and Lee Atwaters. pic.twitter.com/Ml0ZdCh5qg
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) November 3, 2018
The recorded message says it was paid for by “The Road to Power,” an Idaho-based white supremacist organization that also targeted Florida’s Democratic candidate for governor, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, with similar racist robocalls in October.
Georgia’s gubernatorial race has been racked with racial tension ahead of the midterms, and Abrams, who could become the state’s first black female governor, has charged her opponent, Republican Brian Kemp, of using his role as Georgia’s state secretary to suppress the minority vote.
Kemp was facing a lawsuit regarding his use of the “Exact Match” law, which requires a voter’s registration identification to exactly match their state-issued ID.
A majority of the state’s voter registrations that were thrown into “pending” status on the basis of the law belonged to minorities, according to civil rights groups who filed the lawsuit against Kemp. A judge ruled Friday that Georgia must allow those restricted by the law to prove their citizenship and continue to vote– a move seen as a blow to Kemp, who has denied attempting to purge minority votes.
He has also denounced the automated call, calling it “vile” and “contrary to the highest ideals of our state and country,” in a statement to CNN. He also condemned “any person or organization that peddles this type of unbridled hate and unapologetic bigotry.”
Abrams’ director of strategic communication, Abigail Collazo, also condemned the calls, telling CNN that the days leading up to the midterm elections have involved an “increasing desperation from many dark corners trying to steal the election, cheat, lie, and prey on people’s fears.”
She criticized Kemp for “suddenly” deciding to “find a conscience as polls are tightening and Georgia voters are making it clear that they reject the kind of hate he and his allies have been spewing around the state.”
[Also read: Democrats investigated for ‘cyber crimes’ after Georgia voter system attacked]
