[Editor’s note: we are delighted to publish this article by Alex Miller, with thanks to Alex and his website, Alex’s Asteroid Astrology, an incomparable resource for asteroid-related astrology. There you’ll find in-depth astrological analyses of breaking events, as well as the astrological meanings of many mythic named asteroids.]
On Tuesday, May 22, 2018, Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams became the first female African American to win a major party nomination for Governor, defeating opponent Stacey Evans in what became known as the “battle of the Staceys”. If she wins in November, she will be the first black female governor in the US. Abrams’ 76% to 23% victory over the more moderate Evans suggests that progressive values are becoming more mainstream, even in the Old South, but Abrams still has a long row to hoe before sitting in the Governor’s Mansion.
Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Abrams spent most of her youth in Gulfport, Mississippi before moving to Atlanta, where both her parents, Robert and Carolyn, earned post-graduate degrees, afterward becoming Methodist ministers. She attended Avondale High School and was the school’s first African American valedictorian. Her involvement in politics began when she was still in high school; after being hired as a typist by a congressional campaign, Abrams was promoted to speechwriter for editing she did while typing a speech. In 1995 she earned her B.A. in Political Science, Economics and Sociology at Spelman College, graduating magna cum laude. A Master of Public Affairs degree followed at the University of Texas in 1998, and a J.D from Yale Law School in 1999.
In 2006 she was elected representative from Georgia’s 89th district, which includes Atlanta, and later served as House Minority Leader in the Georgia General Assembly. In 2017 she announced her intention to run for the Democratic nomination for Governor, and kept a handy lead in polling throughout the primary campaign.
Abrams’ victory is all the more surprising due to the fact that, unlike most Southern Democrats, Abrams flaunted her progressive goals, such as universal pre-K, affordable childcare and access to higher education, eschewing the more centrist positions of her opponent. “Democrats can’t win by pretending to be Republicans,” she opined to PBS the day after her primary battle. Whether this will be a winning strategy come November, only time will tell.
Born 9 December 1973, that Abrams’ fate would be bound up with Georgia’s seems apparent from her birth chart. The 17 Sagittarius Sun exactly squares asteroid Georgia at 17 Virgo, forming a T-Square with asteroid Nike, named for the Greek goddess of victory, at 18 Pisces, a literally “winning” combination. Asteroid Stacey at 2 Capricorn exactly opposes Saturn at 2 Cancer, and forms a T-Square with asteroids Victoria (named for the Roman goddess of victory and the root of our word) and Atlantis (closest match for Georgia’s capital of Atlanta), as well as Pluto, at 1, 5 and 6 Libra respectively. This establishes Abrams as tough as nails (Saturn/Pluto), a born executive (Saturn), and a potentially transformative figure (Pluto). With her Sun bound to the state and her first name bound to its capital, Abrams is a natural fit for statewide elected office, with a strong personal identification for voters.
There is no Abrams asteroid; closest matches are Abramson, which appears at 8 Leo, and Abramov, falling at 19 Cancer. Abramson is stationary, having turned retrograde a week before Abrams’ birth, and opposes a useful combination of Venus, Jupiter and asteroid Karma, at 1, 9 and 10 Aquarius. This inclines Abrams to work with both the law and politics (both Jupiter-ruled), while granting popularity (Venus) and a strong sense of personal destiny (Karma). Abramov is at the fulcrum of a T-Square comprised of squares to an exact opposition of Mars and Uranus, at 26 Aries and Libra, suggesting Abrams as a fighter and leader (Mars), with more than a bit of the progressive revolutionary about her (Uranus).
Abrams is also the award-winning pseudonymous author of several romantic suspense novels, writing under the name of Selena Montgomery. Asteroid Selene at 2 Pisces closely squares Mercury, ruling writers, at 1 Sagittarius, making this a logical choice for a pen name. Asteroid Montgomery at 28 Leo is approaching station, and will turn retrograde 11 days after her birth, suggesting a greater-than-typical importance for that name in her biography.
When Abrams claimed her primary election victory on May 22, asteroids Stacey at 1 Pisces and Abramov at 1 Virgo formed an exact T-Square with the Sun at 1 Gemini, a stunning depiction of how pivotal the day was for her, tapped in to the zeitgeist in ways which highlighted and placed her front and center in voters’ minds. This pattern becomes an exact Grand Cross when her natal Mercury at 1 Sag is factored in, ruling the vote itself. Asteroid Abramson at 29 Aries is still within orb of natal Mars, pumping energy into her campaign in its final days, and closely conjoins transit Uranus at 0 Taurus, establishing her progressive bona fides and perhaps setting her up for an upset win in November (Democrats have not occupied the Governor’s Mansion since 2003).
Transit Victoria at 23 Aries trails behind Abramson, though still within orb, while transit Nike at 9 Aries is closely trined natal Abramson at 8 Leo, conferring the win on Abrams on two levels, stimulating her referent in the sky as well as activating its natal potential for victory. Transit Atlantis, for Atlanta, appears at 1 Libra, exactly on natal Victoria and approaching its natal degree at 5 Libra, and is also stationary, turning direct four days later, showing the strong pull toward the state capital at that time. The transit Sun at 1 Gemini is also exactly trine natal Victoria. Natal Nike at 18 Pisces is conjoined by Neptune, the attaining of a long-held dream, at 16 Pisces, and trined by Jupiter, ruling success, expansion and politics, at 16 Scorpio.
A transit conjunction of Venus and Georgia at 3 and 7 Cancer conjoins natal Saturn, focusing that popularity on Abrams’ career and the chief executive position up for grabs, and opposes natal Stacey at 2 Capricorn, ensuring her personal popularity in the Peach State, with transit Saturn lending structural support to her career from 8 Capricorn, opposing itself. Saturn represents chief executives, such as governors, and will come to its direct station exactly atop natal Stacey in September, while exactly opposing its natal degree. This could well signal a major career change, and a leadership role in government.
Without knowing who her opponent will be in November (a run-off election will be held in July to determine the Republican nominee), it’s difficult to rate her chances, but her PNAs are well-placed for victory in a general sense. Abramov at 26 Libra conjoins Venus, denoting popularity, at 27 Libra, and exactly opposes Nike at 26 Aries, with Uranus, which could bring that upset win, at 29 Aries, also in opposition. Asteroid Abramson at 2 Gemini conjoins transit Victoria at 4, linking Abrams personally with victory, both opposing natal Mercury (the vote) at 1 Sagittarius, and re-energizing the 1 Gemini Sun of her primary win. Asteroid Stacey at 24 Aquarius conjoins transit Mars at 28, perhaps signaling a successful campaign. Stacey/Mars is squared Jupiter, ruling politics and success, at 29 Scorpio.
The potential fly in the ointment would seem to be transit Mercury, which at 7 Sagittarius exactly conjoins natal Neptune, perhaps bringing disappointment in its wake, or some degree of confusion, fraud or deception with the vote itself or its tabulation.
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