18 races to follow for the 2018 midterms

2. Georgia Governor

Candidates: Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams vs. Republican challenger Brian Kemp

Can Brian Kemp win the governorship of Georgia by leaning hard into the image of a conservative? It’s not just that he wants fiscal conservatism or some variation on “family values.” There’s also the matter of his conscious political incorrectness, of his audacity, and, yes, of that political ad where he blows up “government spending,” cocks a gun, and says his big pickup truck is ready to round up illegals and… take them back to his home?

So, can a campaign that so far seems to be based largely on a political punchline — “yep, I just said that” — succeed in getting Kemp all the way to the governor’s seat? It seems ridiculous, but then again, many said that Donald Trump was too offensive and transparently power-hungry to win election. See where that led us?

Kemp, by the way, has gained the “full and total endorsement” of Trump. That support helped Kemp surge ahead in the Republican primaries, beating his opponent Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle early on.

But Kemp is not running all by himself. This November, he will be facing Stacey Abrams, his Democratic opponent. And where Kemp has capitalized on his uber-conservative values, Abrams is going in the opposite direction. She’s obviously progressive, with a platform that includes affordable housing initiatives, green energy plans, and stronger controls on gun ownership. Her primary opponents, meanwhile, adjusted their messages to cater to more conservative voters.

Can Abrams’ progressive outspokenness help her win? Or, will voters go for the more traditional, yet somewhat outrageous choice in Brian Kemp?

Campaign website for Stacey Abrams: https://staceyabrams.com/
Campaign website for Brian Kemp: http://www.kempforgovernor.com/