On Tuesday at She Salon in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood in downtown Atlanta, owner Gina Palmer became emotional as she spoke about her small business journey that began almost 20 years ago.
Like many other businesses, the salon suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. Although her business survived, Palmer watched as friends had to shutter their stores and members of her family lost their jobs.
Local and national media crowded around Palmer as she made her remarks and stumped for President Joe Biden ahead of the first debate between the president and Republican challenger and former president Donald Trump, hosted by CNN in Atlanta on Thursday. Palmer was also flanked by two of Georgia’s highest-profile Democrats: Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.
The salon owner was just one of many businesses and residents across Atlanta this week, called on at campaign-style events to show support for one of the candidates. The next day, seven miles away in Buckhead, a similar scene played out, only this time to sway voters for Trump.
Dozens of TV camera crews cast their lenses on a panel of speakers gathered at the shop to talk about the former president’s investments in Black businesses. On speaker phone at the event, Trump boasted that he cut taxes and regulations that hindered businesses more than any other presidential administration.
Whichever candidate is declared the victor in Thursday’s debate, political experts say that Atlanta is the true winner with mobs of national media, campaign staff and political junkies scrambling to the city for a front-row seat to an event in the national spotlight.
Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the political circus descending on the city is likely to provide a significant economic boost as restaurants book up for events, hotels fill with guests and high-profile politicians land at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
“You have the campaigns coming here and spending so much money — all these debate watch parties, these restaurants, event centers, barbershops,” he said. “They’re all going to capitalize on this tuned-in audience for, what I believe, is going to be this historically watched debate.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
The outcome of the presidential race in the Peach state could easily come down to a narrow margin of votes — fewer than 12,000 separated Biden from Trump during the 2020 election. An AJC poll released Tuesday shows Trump leads Biden 43% to 38%, just outside the 3.1-point margin of error, with 8% undecided.
Both parties are calling in reinforcements to host networking events, rallies, watch parties and post-debate conversations that will dissect the 90-minute event. There’s reason to ramp up the outreach and meet face-to-face with swing state voters who could make the difference in deciding who leads the country for the next four years.
Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a Republican, said on the Politically Georgia podcast Tuesday that there should be high expectations for both candidates. “I think it’s an opportunity for us to take a peek into each one of their souls above and beyond the rhetoric above the campaign noise, he said.
“America is watching — this is going to be a cage match,” Duncan said.
Credit: Riley Bunch/riley.bunch@ajc.com
Credit: Riley Bunch/riley.bunch@ajc.com
All about Atlanta
The consequential debate landed by CNN — a network that’s never hosted a general election presidential debate — will be held at the WarnerMedia campus on Techwood Drive. Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion will play host to both national and local media covering the event.
According to top CNN officials, close to 800 members of the press, from across the country and around the world, are credentialed to cover the debate.
For two days ahead of the debate, hundreds of journalists flocked to the indoor arena to pick up their press passes, snapping selfies and standing up for early live shots ahead of the event.
According to a survey released Wednesday by The Associated Press, 60% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely” or “very” likely to tune in.
Atlantans who brave the city’s roads Thursday are likely to see Biden and Trump supporters lining the caravan routes on sidewalks and overpasses to cheer on their candidates as they make their way from the tarmac to Midtown.
“Let’s give President Trump a warm Georgia welcome!” fliers to recruit an enthusiastic crowd for the Republican reads.
In addition to the debate, the Copa America soccer game between the U.S. men’s team and Panama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is expected to add to the traffic headache.
The blend of sports and politics showcases what elected officials say is Atlanta’s best trait: a host city for major events. And although the city didn’t land this year’s Democratic National Convention, Dickens, a top Biden surrogate, is seizing the opportunity to rally the party’s base.
The first-term mayor has a busy schedule this week, including campaign press conferences, a panel appearance on CNN and a spot in the lineup to greet Biden as he flies into Dobbins Air Reserve Base on Thursday. After the debate, the mayor will play a “rapid response” role in echoing Biden’s key talking points.
Johnson said the setting gives candidates an opportunity to touch on local issues — like infrastructure after Atlanta’s recent water crisis.
Credit: (Miguel Martinez / Miguel.Martinezjimenez@ajc.com)
Credit: (Miguel Martinez / Miguel.Martinezjimenez@ajc.com)
Race to court swing state voters
Both Democrats and Republicans are hosting events targeting Black voters who, political experts say, are largely aligned with Democrats but may hurt Biden if they choose to sit on the sidelines during the election.
At Rocky’s Barbershop on Wednesday, top surrogates for Trump made their case to Atlanta’s Black voters.
“This is all about Black excellence and it’s not confined to one party,” Florida Congressman Byron Donalds said. “Black excellence is for everyone.”
Later that day, Donalds and Texas Congressman Wesley Hunt were scheduled to join former ESPN sportscaster Sage Steele at Studio Cigar Lounge in Fairburn, where attendees can sip cognac and smoke cigars.
Similarly, the New Georgia Project and NAACP are hosting a debate watch party at Prime Cigar Bar, calling the event on social media “political engagement by Black men, for Black men.”
And in Georgia, where state Republicans have continuously chosen not to expand health care access through Medicaid, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock on Thursday will join Atlanta residents who struggle to afford medicines like insulin — a key talking point for the congressman and Biden administration.
But Johnson, who previously served as a senior adviser for the Biden-Harris campaign, said that in this election, candidates looking to nab the favor of voters who may be on-the-fence face an unusual challenge: their name recognition.
“It’s the same two individuals that most American people already know pretty well,” he said. “The way the race will be won is in battleground states like Georgia where you’re able to reach the independent and moderated voters — educated voters who are tuned into what’s going on.”
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