Convicted felon Angela Stanton-King, who was pardoned by President Trump earlier this year, announced that she is running for Congress as a Republican against Democratic Georgia Rep. John Lewis.
Back in February, President Trump pardoned Stanton-King after she served a “six-month home confinement sentence in 2007 for her role in a stolen vehicle ring.” Today, she is “a national best-selling author, widely acclaimed television personality,” and Republican trying to unseat Lewis in his district.
“I have the utmost respect for the contributions that [Lewis] has made to black America,” Stanton-King told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week. “However, this isn’t the Selma bridge, and our babies are dying. It is time for war.”
On Friday, Angela announced her campaign, saying, “This is about picking up the torch and continuing the fight for Justice.”
Stanton-King, whose mentor is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece Alveda King, said one of her main platforms would be fighting for the rights of unborn babies. She also stated that she would “continue to fight for justice for Black America, and also help people understand that our unborn babies deserve justice as well.”
The Washington Examiner reported that Lewis, 80, was elected as representative for Georgia’s 5th District in 1987 and has been a staunch opponent of Trump. He is currently battling pancreatic cancer but announced he is running for his 18th term.
“I’m honored to be running for my 18th term in Congress representing the citizens of Georgia’s 5th district. My constituents know me, they know my record, and they know that I have fought tirelessly for them for the last 33 years,” Lewis told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“There is still much work left to do on guaranteeing civil rights to all people in this country, protecting and expanding access to health care, and ensuring that every American can freely cast a vote regardless of race or resources,” he added. “With the support of my constituents, I look forward to getting into more good trouble in the years ahead.”
Angela Stanton-King has never run for political office before but stated that she has “life experiences” that could resonate with voters and help her with causes such as criminal justice reform and abortion.
“I turned my life around. I have completely redeemed my life,” she said. “This race is not about me trying to beat John Lewis. It is about carrying the torch and picking up the fight. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.”