Updated October 23, 2024 at 22:06 PM ET
DULUTH, Ga. — If the road to the White House runs through seven swing states, then Georgia is a flashing neon sign at the end of the road for both campaigns.
It’s a state that President Biden won by just 12,000 votes in 2020, a state that was ground zero for both false claims of election fraud and the political fallout afterwards, and a state home to the key demographic groups that will help decide the next president.
On Wednesday, it was also the site of two events featuring former President Donald Trump. The Republican nominee spoke at a middle Georgia church for a “Ballots and Believers” town hall aimed at the evangelical base of the GOP, before heading to a rally in suburban Gwinnett County on the north side of Atlanta.
Thursday, Vice President Harris will hold a rally with former President Barack Obama in DeKalb County just east of Atlanta, as re-energized Democrats seek to mobilize their base of Black voters and keep intact the fractious coalition that narrowly elected Biden. Ahead of that visit, she participated in a CNN town hall on Wednesday, where she said she agreed that Trump is a "fascist."
Georgia is a fast-growing state that has a large nonwhite voter population, a sizable share of college-educated suburban voters and plenty of young voters, all key constituencies that could influence the outcome in Georgia and other battlegrounds.
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Nearly one in three Georgia voters have already cast their ballot in the presidential race, as elections officials tout record in-person early voting turnout.
Trump painted a dire picture of the nation
At Christ Chapel church in Zebulon, Ga., Trump ticked through his usual campaign talking points around everything from immigration and hurricane recovery to oil production and his poll numbers.
Much like the rest of his campaign events, Trump painted a dire picture of the state of the country and what it would look like if he lost.
“I think we really energized a lot of people this time, because they’ve seen how bad it is,” he said. “This last four years, it’s been a horror show. Absolute horror show.”
He also said there’s “persecution” going on against Catholics, school boards and “people of religion.”
In Gwinnett County, Trump spoke at a rally put on by the conservative group Turning Point USA. Thousands were in attendance to see Trump, and to hear from more than a dozen local and national figures that have taken up the former president’s mantle, including Tucker Carlson, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
“This is a very important distinction: Election Day is the last day of voting,” Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk said. “We have 12 days of voting left in this state ... So for those of you that already voted, you need to go find a low propensity voter. Someone that is a little shaky about voting, and get them out to the polls.”
Early voting statistics from Georgia show strong turnout from smaller Republican-heavy counties and those who reliably vote in Republican primaries. An analysis of those voters by NPR also found a large percentage of those are Republicans who are opting to vote earlier than they have in past elections.
Harris to speak from the same spot Trump gave his Jan. 6 address
Harris was last in Georgia over the weekend, speaking to an enthusiastic crowd of about 11,000 people at Lakewood Amphitheater and attending two church services, all the while attacking Trump’s energy level and scattershot speeches.
Harris’ closing message is leaning heavily into warnings that Trump is not fit to be president again and is a threat to democracy. Her campaign said she will make that case on Tuesday, from the same spot on the National Mall that Trump spoke on Jan. 6, 2021, before a mob of his supporters headed to the Capitol in a failed insurrection attempt.
Harris on Wednesday seized on remarks made by Trump’s former chief of staff, Retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, who called Trump a “fascist” with a “dictatorial” leadership style. Trump’s campaign has said Kelly fabricated his stories about the former president.
After addressing Kelly's comments in remarks from her residence in Washington, D.C., Harris traveled to Pennsylvania to participate in a CNN town hall. Asked directly if she believed Trump was a fascist, Harris replied, "Yes, yes I do."
Harris appeared at the town hall after Trump declined a second debate.
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