Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is pursuing legal options and preparing for a second round of the election; the runoff would be on Dec. 4. | Jessica McGowan/Getty Images Elections Abrams buys TV ads for runoff as Kemp accuses her of 'desperate ploy'

Republican Brian Kemp says the race is over, and he's the winner. Democrat Stacey Abrams is purchasing TV time for a runoff election.

The candidates in one of the nation's most closely watched elections this year — the race for Georgia governor — are living in parallel universes amid a rancorous partisan fight over thousands of yet-to-be-counted ballots.


Abrams' campaign manager tweeted Friday that her team had just approved a $250,000 TV buy as it prepares for "all possibilities." The Abrams campaign is proceeding as if the race is going to a runoff — Kemp is currently just above the majority threshold to avoid one — or a recount.

Since Tuesday's election, Abrams has refused to concede while Kemp has declared victory and started preparations to succeed outgoing Gov. Nathan Deal. The Associated Press has not called the race for Kemp even though the tallies on election night showed Kemp ahead. The Abrams campaign estimates it needs to net about 26,000 votes for a runoff to be triggered, and about 24,000 votes for a recount to occur.

The result has been a diametric split screen. In one, Kemp is acting like most other victorious gubernatorial candidates days after an election, setting up a transition team and naming a chief of staff. In the other, Abrams is pursuing legal options and preparing for a second round of the election; the runoff would be on Dec. 4.

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On Friday afternoon, a federal judge ruled that Dougherty County had to count all the absentee ballots postmarked on November 6 and received through Nov. 9. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the Abrams campaign.

The decision will probably add only a few dozen votes to the total count, but it underscored the argument by the Abrams campaign argument that there are still outstanding votes that could affect the outcome.

Kemp's team pegged the ruling and Abrams' refusal to concede as just a "desperate ploy" to "steal the election."

"As we have said since election night, it is mathematically impossible for Stacey Abrams to force a run-off or a recount," the statement read. "This ruling doesn't change that reality."

Abrams' campaign has the backing of the Democratic Party as it fights to continue the race. The campaign has stayed in contact with the Democratic Governors Association and the Democratic National Committee, and regional staffers for both organizations are involved in Georgia.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) sent a fundraising email for Abrams Friday asserting that "the race is not over yet."