New Black Panther Party Holds Armed Rally For Stacey Abrams

ATLANTA, GA -- The New Black Panther Party held an armed rally and canvassing event for Democrat Stacey Abrams over the weekend, as voters head to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in Georgia's nationally watched governor's race. The organization posted photos and a video of their event to their Facebook page. The rally was held in Atlanta's West End neighborhood, and the organization called the event an "Armed Rally Against Voter Suppression."

The rally came in the final hours of Georgia's governor's race, in which Abrams is seeking to become the nation's first African-American female governor in history. Republican (and Secretary of State) Brian Kemp is seeking to maintain GOP control of the office that Republicans have enjoyed since 2002.

The campaign has been marked by allegations from both campaigns of voter suppression and registration hacking. Early in the campaign, Abrams and her supporters, including former President Jimmy Carter, called on Kemp to resign as secretary of state because of voter suppression allegations. Kemp's office and other state officials were also sued by several groups for rejecting ballots under Georgia's "exact match" law.

Kemp himself made some ill-advised comments about voter turnout at a Buckhead campaign event, telling his supporters that Abrams' absentee ballot turnout operation "continues to concern us, especially if everybody uses and exercises their right to vote -- which they absolutely can -- and mail those ballots in."

On Saturday, Kemp's Secretary of State office formally launched an investigation into an alleged attempt by the state Democratic Party to hack Georgia's voter registration system. It also said it notified the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI about the alleged attempt, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Monday it has launched an investigation.

Also on Monday, the U.S. Justice Department's said Fulton and Gwinnett counties are among 35 communities in 19 states that will be monitored by the department's civil rights division for compliance with federal voting laws.

Georgia's governor's race is also widely seen as a political bellwether. Democrats are desperate for a high-profile victory, particularly in a Deep South state that has been dominated by Republicans for virtually all of the 21st century. Democrats also hope for a "blue wave" Tuesday night that will put them in a stronger position to oppose President Trump's policies and administration.

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ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 02: Georgia Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams walks on stage and waves at the audience for a campaign rally at Morehouse College with Former US President Barack Obama on November 2, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. Obama spoke in Atlanta to endorse Abrams and encourage Georgians to vote. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)