Atlanta may have been passed over to host this year’s Democratic National Convention, but the state of Georgia has dominated the buzz so far this week in Chicago.
First and foremost, but left unsaid, is the history Atlanta was a part of when it played host this summer to the only debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Each campaign agreed to Atlanta as a venue because Georgia is seen as a true toss-up Democrats and Republicans believe they must win to capture the White House in November.
The Atlanta debate proved historic for all the wrong reasons for Biden, whose performance was so alarming to his fellow Democrats that they eventually pushed him out as their party nominee. Kamala Harris quickly consolidated the support she needed to become the party’s new standard-bearer and she was off to the races, literally.
The Harris convention, put in motion by the Atlanta debate, is again highlighting Georgia’s status as a must-win state for her campaign and allies. Knowing it will be as instrumental to a potential Harris win as it was to Biden, a parade of top party VIPs have made their way to the Georgia delegates’ breakfast every day this week.
You know you’re in a battleground state when you’ve heard from every power player and future presidential contender in the Democratic Party before your eggs get cold.
On Tuesday it was Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who were both on the shortlist for Harris’ running mate and could make a run for president themselves someday, too.
“Georgia needs a good governor, and until you have one, I’m going to show up for you!” Whitmer jabbed as she pumped up delegates.
The next day, Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Cory Booker of New Jersey came by, along with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. If you want to get ahead in the national party, you probably came to see the Georgians this week to make a good impression.
And speaking of making a good impression, Georgians have landed headline-grabbing slots as speakers for the DNC’s prime-time program each night. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock vaulted to national attention as he recited Bible verses to a roaring crowd just ahead of Biden’s address on Monday. On Tuesday, President Jimmy Carter’s grandson, Jason Carter, took the stage along with Jack Schlossberg, a grandson of President John F. Kennedy. The younger Carter said his grandfather “can’t wait to vote for Kamala Harris.”
On Wednesday night, former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, one of the most prominent Republicans to come out against Trump and to urge fellow conservatives to do the same, was on the roster of speakers. More Georgians are likely to play significant roles on the final night of the convention, too.
But no moment has crystallized Georgia’s status as the state everybody’s watching more than the minute Georgia literally became the state everybody was watching during Tuesday’s roll call of the states. After Florida announced its 243 voters for Harris, Atlanta-based rapper Lil Jon made a surprise appearance at the top of the steps of the United Center.
As he descended the stairs, he tweaked this iconic hit “Turn Down for What” to become “Turn Out for What,” with delegates nodding and bouncing along to what they thought was a convention performance. In reality, Lil Jon was really a part of Georgia’s roll call announcement.
Once on the floor, he danced to the beat with Warnock, U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop and the state party’s chair, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, as she announced Georgia’s votes. “In the spirit of good trouble,” she said, “Georgia casts its 123 votes for the next president of the United States, Kamala Harris!”
Ninety miles north in Milwaukee, where Harris was set to speak moments later, the roll call of the states played overhead on a giant video screen. When Georgia’s turn came, the 15,000 Harris fans waiting for her turned the Fiserv Arena into a dance party. As the kids say, it was lit.
The next day, CNN declared, “GEORGIA STEALS THE SHOW,” before Williams joined to talk about the state’s winning moment. But she made the point that Georgia is as important for the history it makes as for the music it produces.
“We won the roll call,” Williams said of her home state. “Now we have to win the election.”
After the convention ends Thursday night, many of the faces featured at what has become Atlanta’s convention will travel south, early and often, to make sure Atlanta and Georgia are part of another Democratic win in 2024.
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