Georgia Gov. Candidate Stacey Abrams reaches millionaire status ahead of second campaign 

Stacey Abrams has confirmed that her net worth is now $3.17 million. That’s compared with a net worth of $109,000 when she first ran four years ago.

Abrams rise in wealth is due to her rise in national politics along with book sales and speeches. Her wealth has attracted criticism from some Republicans.  

Garrison Douglas, who is a spokesperson for the national Republican Party, accused Abrams of using her campaign “as a platform for her own financial gain.” During a rally in the state last month, former President Donald Trump knocked her for “living in these gorgeous multi-multi-million-dollar houses.”

In an interview, Abrams said it was ironic for Republicans to criticize her financial success, something the party often praises as the result of hard work.

“It is remarkable to me that success is now being demonized by the Republicans,” she said. “I believe in success. I believe that every person should have the opportunity to thrive. And because I had three years where I was in the private sector, I leveraged all three years, and in that time, I’ve done my best to not only be successful personally, but to do what I can to help Georgians.”

Marko Klasnja, who is a Georgetown University professor who has studied the causes and consequences of politicians’ wealth, said that “in the U.S., people don’t care about wealth per se, and I don’t think that they would think that’s a negative, necessarily.”

“I don’t think this is going to hurt Abrams that much, and I think, if people know this is coming from things like book deals, they’re going to be thinking about this differently than, ‘She’s lining her pockets because she’s on boards of corporations and things like that.’’