Before Donald Trump hit the stage in Atlanta, key Democratic surrogates assembled at a Kamala Harris for President field office Saturday afternoon. Located a mile from Georgia State University’s Convocation Center, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas and U.S. Representative Nikema Williams of Georgia spoke about the state of the race, among other topics.
“We know that the party that supposedly is all about fiscal conservatism somehow allowed a guy to run the credit card bill of $8 trillion in four years,” Crockett exclaimed. “You know why it happened? Because he made promises to his real friends, the people that he looks out for: The one percenters. And so they stop paying their fair share. It doesn’t make sense that people have to work multiple jobs just to take care of themselves. And at the end of the day, they’re paying a higher amount or a higher percentage in taxes than the rich guys, the rich guys that are posted up in Mar-a-Lago.”
The Democratic Coalition and Project 2025
While Donald Trump and JD Vance are visiting Atlanta, the Democrats are telling everyone their coalition is devoted to progress. During her remarks, Crockett referenced the ways the Republican Party has embraced Project 2025.
“They say, even though it’s hot down there, we don’t want y’all to have water,” explained Crockett. “They want to play games with how many voting centers you can have and all the things. It’s the old Jim Crow playbook. And right now, they are trying to take us back to everything that we did not have back in the day.”
Among the topics discussed was the idea Donald Trump would skip a debate scheduled for September 10th. Harris Campaign Communications Director, Michael Tyler, issued a statement. It reads in part:
“He needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on Sept 10. The Vice President will be there one way or the other to take the opportunity to speak to a prime time national audience. We’re happy to discuss further debates after the one both campaigns have already agreed to. Mr. Anytime, anywhere, anyplace should have no problem with that unless he’s too scared to show up on the 10th.”
Is Trump still afraid to debate the VP?
Joining Representatives Crockett and Williams was Georgia State Representative Inga Willis, an alumnus of Howard University. She had choice words for the former president after he continued to waffle about debating the VP. Additionally, Willis referenced Trump’s unwillingness to testify in the cases involving his businesses, the civil case involving E. Jean Carroll, and the fraud case involving Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“His batting average against Howard women is deplorable,” exclaims Willis, a Democrat from Atlanta. “Ask Fani Willis, ask Letitia James, and now our Vice President, okay! It’s deplorable. Howard University is not known for athletics. We don’t have the best football team. We don’t have the best band culture. Our sport is intellect and debate.”
The three elected officials, in a post-event scrum with members of the press, recalled the Trump campaign’s chief talking points about President Joe Biden: his age, his mental capacity and faculties. But, since stepping aside, the Democrats received a jolt of energy when Biden endorsed Harris on July 21.
In thirteen days, the Harris campaign raised $310 million. $200 million of that raise alone coming in during the first week of her candidacy. Additionally, Harris raised more across grassroots channels in the four days after she became the primary candidate than Team Trump’s operation raised in the entire month. That money is deployed toward a robust ground game. The Harris campaign says they have 260 coordinated campaign offices and more than 1,400 coordinated staff across the battleground states. Of that 260, twenty-four campaign offices are in Georgia.
The bottom line is Georgia is in play once again in November.
Republican in-fighting resurfaces
“We were counted out in Georgia in 2020,” explained Williams. “When I became party chair in 2019, people laughed at me. They were like, ‘that’s cute. She thinks that she can flip Georgia in 2020.’ And I said, ‘watch me work. I can show you better than I can tell you.’”
After the rally, Republican in-fighting is resurfacing in the Peach State.
Before his rally, former President Trump attacked Georgia Governor Brian Kemp because he believes Atlanta’s crime rate has run amok. Kemp responded on his personal X, formerly known as Twitter account, saying, “My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats – not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past. You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it.”
As for the Democrats, their eyes are on winning the White House and regaining control of Congress. Like the midterms in 2022, and various initiatives in the states, Dobbs, and re-enshrining the right to an abortion is top of mind for most voters.
“Let me tell you, November will forever be known as ‘Roe-vember’, because we are coming for them,” Crockett said. “We are single cat ladies. We are the childless cat ladies. Whoever it is, women understand that this is about our futures. And I’m telling you, regardless of what the polls say, we will outperform the polls.”