‘All in.’ Georgia’s Democratic leaders quickly unite behind Kamala Harris

SAVANNAH – In quick succession, Georgia’s most prominent Democratic leaders backed Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race and endorsed her as his successor.

U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, who chairs the Democratic Party of Georgia, each said they supported Harris’ bid to seek the nomination in Biden’s place.

So did U.S. Reps. Sanford Bishop, Hank Johnson and Lucy McBath, several high-ranking state legislators, and Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee for governor the last two elections.

“Remember, defeating Donald Trump was always the goal,” said Williams. “Sending Kamala Harris to the Oval Office is how we get there. Eyes on the prize.”

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Harris speedily took control of the Biden-Harris campaign apparatus and contacted congressional Democrats and state leaders to seal their support. Among her calls Sunday was to Warnock, a close ally who has long been seen as a potential presidential candidate in 2028.

“I’m all in,” Warnock told her. “And I’m ready to help in any way that I can.”

The closing of ranks behind Harris from Georgia Democrats was a show of force behind her campaign. With less than four months before the election, Democrats say they can ill afford more turmoil within the party to defeat former President Donald Trump.

An Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll conducted before Biden quit the race showed a tight race between Harris and Trump in a hypothetical matchup that could soon become a reality. Still, several other Democrats could challenge the vice president for the nomination, including U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.

Senior Georgia Democrats had maintained their support for Biden even as pressure from party leaders in Washington and other states mounted. But many have forged close relationships with Harris, who has visited Georgia about a dozen times since taking office.

Abrams was among the party officials who noted her long friendship with Harris as she announced her support for her historic presidential bid.

“She’s a tenacious fighter, a champion for our rights and defender of our democracy,” Abrams said. “United, she will lead us as we defeat Donald Trump this November.”