Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make her first appearance in Georgia as a presidential candidate on Tuesday. She will be joined by Grammy-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion at a rally in Atlanta, signalling the campaign’s focus on engaging with key voter demographics and energising the base in a state that has become crucial for the Democrats.
The event is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT at Georgia State University. Megan Thee Stallion, who recently topped Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with her album “Megan,” confirmed her participation on Instagram, expressing her excitement to support Harris with a special performance. “ATL HOTTIES SEE YOU TOMORROW…,” she wrote, generating buzz among her followers and Harris supporters.
Megan Thee Stallion joins a growing list of musicians and public figures rallying behind Harris as she vies for the Democratic presidential nomination in the upcoming November 5 election. The presence of high-profile supporters like Megan Thee Stallion gives credence to the cultural and generational appeal Harris aims to harness in her bid for the presidency. Being a woman and possibly the first female president in US history is an undeniable appeal for supporters.
Strategic Importance of Georgia
Georgia has emerged as a critical battleground state, with Democrats viewing it as potentially up for grabs in the fiercely contested election. In 2020, the state barely swung in favour of the Democrats, showing its importance in the current political landscape due to the clear opportunity to flip it for the blue party. Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff recently emphasised Harris’s campaign’s significance in the state, predicting a Democratic victory.
Georgia’s shift towards a more competitive landscape reflects broader demographic changes and political dynamics in the region. The state’s increasing diversity, coupled with significant voter mobilisation efforts, has positioned it as a key target for both parties. Harris’s campaign is keenly aware of this and is deploying resources to ensure a robust presence in Georgia.
Polling and Campaign Momentum
Harris has shown considerable momentum since entering the race. Harris’s campaign has made significant strides after President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid and endorse her on July 22. Notably, the campaign has raised $200 million and recruited 170,000 new volunteers. Harris has also outperformed Biden in recent polling among young people, Black and Hispanic voters.
A series of polls have indicated a tightening race between Harris and her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. A New York Times/Siena College poll showed Harris narrowing Trump’s lead, while a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on July 23 gave Harris a two-point advantage. This surge in support simply shows Harris’s ability to galvanise a broad coalition of voters who are critical for securing a victory in November and proving that she’s no slouch in the game of politics, given how quickly she’s gotten the ball rolling.
Expanding Campaign Efforts
Harris’s campaign is expanding rapidly, particularly in key swing states. Plans include increasing staff in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin and doubling campaign staff in Arizona and North Carolina. These efforts reflect the campaign’s strategy to secure wins in states that were considered challenging during Biden’s campaign.
Michael Tyler, Harris for President communications director, has spoken on the campaign’s commitment to hard work and leaving nothing to chance in this closely contested election.
“This election is going to be incredibly close, so this campaign is getting to work and taking nothing for granted,” Tyler told reporters during a recent conference call.
Over the weekend, Harris’s campaign demonstrated its organisational strength with volunteers knocking on 126,000 doors and making 768,635 phone calls.
Following the rally in Atlanta, Harris will travel to Houston on Thursday to attend Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s funeral service. This week, the campaign is also focusing on vetting potential vice presidential candidates, with a decision expected by August 7. Among the contenders are Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Harris is leveraging her background as a former district attorney and California attorney general to draw a contrast with Trump, who faces legal challenges, including charges related to his attempts to overturn Biden’s 2020 victory in Georgia. In addition to her legal credentials, Harris’s campaign is focusing on a range of issues that resonate with voters. Reproductive rights, healthcare, economic equity, and criminal justice reform are central to her platform. In Atlanta, she plans to meet with local advocates for reproductive rights, highlighting her commitment to protecting and expanding access to healthcare services.
It’s an unusual position for Trump, who has built his political career by dominating the news cycle with unexpected and outlandish comments and, as recently as mid-July, seemed ascendant in the race following the assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pa.
Campaign data shows that many Democratic voters who had been holding back for Biden immediately got off the sidelines last week to back Harris. Of the $200 million Harris has raised since Biden dropped out of the race on July 21, two-thirds came from people who hadn’t donated so far this cycle, her campaign said Monday. And her campaign signed up a striking 360,000 new volunteers in its first week.
