In this episode of The Stakes, Kettering Foundation Senior Fellow Stacey Abrams joins host Brad Rourke to discuss the January 28 FBI raid on the Fulton County, Georgia, election hub—and what it reveals about the state of American democracy. Federal agents seized roughly 700 boxes of 2020 election materials under a sealed warrant, with no public explanation. Abrams says this is much more than a records dispute, warning it represents an assault on election integrity: undermining public trust, furthering voter suppression, and opening the door to destabilizing American elections.

This conversation places the Fulton County raid within a broader pattern of targeting election infrastructure and the officials who run it. Abrams explores how the misuse of federal power can chill decision-making—and what this means for 2026.

The conversation wraps with a look at warning signs to watch and what voters should be paying attention to in the weeks ahead.