In this Nov. 16, 2017, file photo, actor-filmmaker and author Tyler Perry poses for a portrait in New York. The upcoming Democratic presidential debate will be held at his studio in southwest Atlanta. (Photo by Amy Sussman / Invision / AP, File)
The upcoming Nov. 20 Democratic presidential primary debate will be held at the newly-christened Tyler Perry Studios in southwest Atlanta. According to the public face of Georgia’s Democratic Party, Stacey Abrams, the former Georgia gubernatorial candidate tweeted out the news.
“Democratic Debate site is set: @TPStudios is a model for Georgia’s vibrant film industry, an engaged corporate citizen and an exceptional location for our #DemDebate. Looking forward to welcoming the candidates to Georgia on November 20,” Abrams said.
Situated on the site of Fort McPherson, the 330-acre lot will be the center of the political universe as Joe Biden, Julian Castro, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Andrew Yang, and Tom Seyer discuss the issues and how to defeat President Donald Trump.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms fought for the debate to be held in Atlanta and was believed to be directly involved in the week-long negotiations that helped seal the deal. Moreover, Bottoms began campaigning for the November debate to be held in Georgia after the Sept. 21 debate in Houston.
“With people of color being the cornerstone of the Democratic Party, Atlanta remains set to provide a large portion of votes for our eventual nominee,” Bottoms wrote, a reminder that African Americans made up roughly 60 percent of primary voters in the 2018 vote.
In a statement, Bottoms said she is “proud that Atlanta has been chosen as the next debate site. Out of respect for the party and the network, it would be inappropriate to speak on a location before they have issued a formal announcement,” she said.
Tyler Perry Studios is the first large scale studio owned by an African-American. The sprawling backlot houses 12 soundstages—each named after an African American trailblazer—as well as production facilities for Perry’s film and TV projects, and third-party studios.
Meanwhile, there are some members of the Democratic Party of Georgia that lobbied for the presidential primary debate to be held at the 1,070-seat three-level theater at City Springs, a mixed-use development that opened last year off of Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.
Staging the Democratic presidential primary debate would have presented an opportunity to showcase U.S. Representative Lucy McBath and highlight her rematch against her opponent, Karen Handel. However, city officials were informed the site was no longer in consideration.
“I understand this decision, but the DNC missed a great opportunity to energize and recognize the importance of Georgia’s 6th and suburban swing districts like it in Georgia and around the nation,” said Sandy Springs City Councilman Andy Bauman. “City Springs would have been a fabulous venue for this debate.”
The debate, hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post, will feature an all-female set of moderators. Rachel Maddow, who moderated the debate in June, will be joined by Andrea Mitchell, host of “Andrea Mitchell Reports” on MSNBC; Kristen Welker, NBC News’ White House correspondent; and Ashley Parker, a White House reporter for The Washington Post.
The debate is scheduled to take place on Nov. 20 from 9 to 11 p.m. ET.
