Student interns for Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp share experiences

Months away from the from the nationally watched gubernatorial election, student interns at the University of Georgia are working for candidates Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp, hitting the ground running in hopes of claiming victory in November.

Kemp, Republican nominee and Georgia Secretary of State, has built his campaign on the promise to fight for small businesses and to “put Georgians first.”

This quality is what attracted senior political science major and former Student Government Association candidate Andrew Lawrence to the Kemp campaign.

“My family is made up of small business owners, and we feel that the Republican Party cares about rural communities and the small businesses,” Lawrence said. “We feel as though Kemp really cares about those groups.”

Lawrence said he has held an interest in politics since he was 14 years old. He has small-town roots in the rural town of Vidalia. Throughout his internship, he held responsibilities such as handing out signs, speaking to people in his community and raising awareness about the Kemp campaign.

Kemp’s strong emphasis on family also held great appeal for sophomore political science major Alexandra Hammock, who served as assistant to the grassroots field director for the Kemp campaign this past spring semester.

“[Kemp] is just a good, at-home guy,” Hammock said. “He’s a small business man who wants what is best for Georgia.”

During her internship, Hammock said she acquired experience in team building and group work.

Despite her initial hesitation to apply for the position, she believes she gained valuable connections as well as more respect for Kemp and his campaign.

“He’s doing this at this time because he feels like he is best for Georgia, and I really admire that about him,” Hammock said.

On the opposite side, Abrams is advocating for improved transportation, infrastructure and education. She outlines her campaign on her website with three major goals: bold, ambitious children, a fair and diverse economy and an effective and engaged government.

Thomas Moore, a senior political science major and communications intern for the Abrams campaign, joined the team because of the immense amount of promise he saw in her. 

“I’ve never met anyone as quick-witted or intelligent as she is. I was just entranced by it,” Moore said.

Moore said he feels as though he played at least a small role in getting the word out, as he was assigned duties that included research performance and collecting voter records. Moore worked as in intern between the fall of 2017 and the summer of 2018.

“It was all very rewarding and important work,” Moore said.

Jack Scott, a sophomore economics major and a finance intern in the Abrams campaign, said Abrams’ background help inspire him to get involved.

According to Abrams’ campaign website, her family struggled meeting ends meet growing up, but her parents instilled a strong sense of ethics in her.

“She comes from a place where she is better able to empathize with people who are struggling,” Scott said. “That, coupled with her charisma, puts her in a position to do good work as governor.”

Thomas Moore (left) and Andrew Lawrence (right), students at the University of Georgia, are interns for the Abrams and Kemp campaigns, respectively. (Left photo by Emily Haney | Right photo courtesy Andrew Lawrence)