ATLANTA (AP) — On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris rallied a raucous, packed arena in Atlanta, declaring that the next 98 days will be a battle, but expressing confidence that victory will come in November. As she spoke, she took aim at Donald Trump for hesitating about participating in their upcoming debate.
“The momentum in this race is shifting,” Harris, the likely Democratic nominee, asserted. “And it’s clear that Donald Trump is feeling it.”
Just over a week ago, Georgia seemed to be slipping from the Democrats' grasp. President Joe Biden’s campaign had hinted at focusing more on the Midwestern “blue wall” states, potentially sidelining “Sun Belt” battlegrounds. But with Biden bowing out and Harris emerging as the likely nominee, Democrats are rekindling hopes for a broader electoral strategy.
In Georgia, where Biden won by the narrowest margin in 2020, Harris drew a large, enthusiastic crowd reminiscent of Trump’s rallies. She criticized Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, as “just plain weird,” and dismissed their policies as outdated and dangerous.
Trump had previously expressed a willingness to debate Harris but is now questioning its value, suggesting he might opt out. Harris seized the opportunity to challenge him directly: “So he won’t debate me, but he and his running mate have a lot to say about me. And by the way, don’t you find some of their stuff to just be plain weird?”
Harris continued, addressing Trump directly: “I do hope you’ll reconsider. Meet me on the debate stage ... because as the saying goes, if you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.” Trump has proposed moving the September 10 debate from ABC News, which he has labeled “fake news.”
Although Harris has not yet officially secured the Democratic nomination, she is the only candidate meeting the necessary qualifications, according to the Democratic National Committee. She is expected to formally clinch the nomination following a virtual roll call vote on Monday. Harris is also anticipated to announce her vice presidential pick early next week and begin a seven-stop tour of battleground states.
Tuesday’s rally at Georgia State University’s basketball arena saw around 8,000 supporters waving signs, dancing, and enjoying a performance by Megan Thee Stallion. The energy at the event was markedly different from just a week ago, when concerns about Biden’s age and performance had cast doubt on the campaign's future.
“This feels like Barack Obama 2008 on steroids for me,” said Mildred Hobson Doss, a 59-year-old from Lilburn. “I would have voted for President Biden again. But we are ready.”
Harris’s campaign contends that her appeal to young people, working-age women, and non-white voters is shifting the dynamics in Georgia and similar states, including North Carolina, Nevada, and Arizona.
“America has tried these failed policies before. And we are not going back. We’re not going back,” Harris declared, as the crowd chanted in agreement.
Republicans, who still hold control in Georgia, argue that Biden’s decreasing popularity and issues like rising consumer prices and immigration could negatively impact Harris in this traditionally conservative state. However, they admit that the race now looks much closer to 2020, when Biden won by a slim margin, rather than when Trump was dominating after the Republican National Convention.
“Trump was going to win Georgia. It was over,” said Republican consultant Brian Robinson. “The Democrats have a chance here for a reset.”
In response, Trump announced he will hold a rally in the same Atlanta arena on Saturday.
Robinson noted that Harris still faces challenges, including her progressive positions from the 2020 primary campaign and various rhetorical missteps. However, he acknowledged that if Harris maintains her current command, “we have a new ballgame and she will be competitive in Georgia.”
Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt dismissed Harris as “just as weak, failed and incompetent as Joe Biden” and criticized her support of policies that, she claims, have hurt working families in Georgia over the past four years.
The Harris campaign has 24 offices across Georgia, including two newly opened in metro Atlanta, while Trump and the Republican National Committee have only recently established their first Georgia offices.
In a call with supporters after her speech, Harris emphasized the urgency of the campaign: “This is a sprint. And we know what we need to do to cross the finish line.”
The rapidly changing demographics of Atlanta’s suburbs and exurbs present key opportunities for swings, especially among disenchanted GOP moderates. For Harris, this means connecting with a diverse range of voters, from Michael Sleister, a long-time independent in Forsyth County, to Allen Smith, a Black Atlanta native and first-time campaign volunteer.
Sleister, who has voted Republican in the past, now sees the GOP as a threat to future generations and views Trump as “just a horrible person.”
Smith, inspired by Biden’s endorsement of Harris, decided to volunteer immediately, saying, “I was driving when I heard the news, and I started pounding my fist—I decided right then I would do whatever I could to help her get elected.”
