Vice President Kamala Harris electrified a cheering, packed arena in Atlanta on Tuesday, declaring that the next 98 days would be a fight but that they’d emerge victorious come November. She also took the opportunity to taunt Donald Trump for his indecision about their upcoming debate.
“The momentum in this race is shifting,” the likely Democratic nominee said. “And there are signs Donald Trump is feeling it.”
Just over a week ago, Georgia seemed to be slipping from the Democrats’ grasp. President Joe Biden’s campaign indicated a shift in focus towards holding the Midwestern “blue wall” states, hinting at possibly forsaking the “Sun Belt” battlegrounds. However, with Biden bowing out and Harris now the presumptive nominee, Democrats are hopeful for an expanded electoral map.
In Georgia, a state that delivered Biden his narrowest victory margin in 2020, Harris pulled off a rally reminiscent of Trump’s signature events: a boisterous crowd, full of supporters cheering her name. She mocked her rival and his running mate JD Vance as “just plain weird,” deriding their policies as outdated and dangerous.
Trump had previously committed to debating Harris but is now wavering, saying he “probably” will debate her but can “also make a case for not doing it.” Harris seized on this uncertainty. “So he won’t debate me, but he and his running mate have a lot to say about me,” she said. “And by the way, don’t you find some of their stuff to just be plain weird.”
Addressing Trump directly, she added, “Well Donald, 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 suggested moving the September 10 debate from ABC News, calling it “fake news.”
While Harris has not yet formally secured the Democratic nomination, she is the only candidate who met the qualifications to vie for it, as announced by the Democratic National Committee on Tuesday. She is expected to clinch the nomination when the party concludes a virtual roll call vote next week. Harris is also set to announce her running mate and begin a tour of battleground states.
The roughly 8,000-capacity arena at Georgia State University was filled to the rafters with voters waving signs, dancing to the Harris campaign soundtrack, and enjoying a performance by Megan Thee Stallion. Such enthusiasm was hard to imagine just days ago, when concerns about Biden’s age and abilities led to the end of his campaign.
“This is like Barack Obama 2008 on steroids for me,” said Mildred Hobson Doss, a 59-year-old supporter. “I would have voted for President Biden again. But we are ready.”
Harris’s campaign highlights her appeal to young people, working-age women, and non-white voters, especially in states with similar demographics to Georgia. A strategy memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon emphasized the importance of winning Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania but also noted Harris’s potential to attract additional persuadable voters, particularly Black, Latino, and under-30 demographics.
Georgia Democratic Chairwoman Nikema Williams noted the excitement, saying, “The energy is infectious. My phone has been blowing up. People want to be part of this movement.”
In her speech, Harris contrasted her record as a prosecutor with Trump’s legal troubles and defended the Biden administration’s achievements. She vowed to pass voting rights legislation and restore abortion rights.
“America has tried these failed policies before. And we are not going back. We’re not going back,” Harris declared to a cheering crowd.
Republicans argue that concerns over Biden’s popularity and issues like consumer prices and immigration will transfer to Harris. However, the landscape looks increasingly like 2020, when Biden narrowly won Georgia.
Former President Trump announced a rally in the same Georgia State arena, signaling his determination not to take any chances. Despite Harris’s liabilities, Republican consultant Brian Robinson acknowledged her current command of the campaign, noting, “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,” criticizing her support of Biden administration policies.
As Harris embarks on her campaign, she will rely on a diverse voter base, from suburban independents like Michael Sleister to enthusiastic first-time campaign volunteers like Allen Smith.
“This is a sprint,” Harris said. “And we know what we need to do to cross the finish line.”