Oprah, Pence back rivals in dueling Georgia appearances
MARIETTA, Ga. — In a rousing speech in the Republican-leaning suburbs of Atlanta, Oprah Winfrey urged voters on Thursday to make history by backing Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in next week’s election.
Winfrey called Abrams a “changemaker” who represents the values of all Georgians.
“I am here today because Stacey Abrams cares about the things that matter,” she said to a mostly female audience north of downtown Atlanta.
Seventy-five miles north, Vice President Mike Pence stood alongside Abrams’ opponent, Brian Kemp, in Dalton, and mocked the billionaire media icon who grew up in Mississippi as just another liberal outsider trying to impose on Republican-run Georgia.
“Stacey Abrams is being bankrolled by Hollywood liberals,” Pence said.
Pence drew boos when he mentioned that “Oprah is in town” and noted that actor Will Ferrell was recently in Georgia for Democrats.
“I’d like to remind Stacey and Oprah and Will Ferrell, I’m kind of a big deal, too,” Pence said, adding “a message for all Stacey Abrams’ liberal Hollywood friends: This ain’t Hollywood. This is Georgia.”
The competing scenes underscore the choice Georgia voters face Tuesday in one of the nation’s premier midterm matchups. After Thursday’s dueling outsiders, former President Barack Obama will follow on Friday for Abrams. President Donald Trump will appear with Kemp on Sunday and previewed his argument on Thursday.
“I’ve always liked Oprah,” he told reporters. “Oprah’s good, but the woman that she’s supporting is not qualified to be the governor of Georgia by any stretch of the imagination.”