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Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s Georgia Visit: A Sign of Victory or a Challenge?
In the last few days of 2020, Joseph R. Biden Jr. made a visit to Georgia to boost support for two Democratic Senate candidates in their close races. However, this trip bore a striking resemblance to a victory celebration.
“It feels rather satisfying,” Mr. Biden expressed in Atlanta, basking in the glory of being the first Democrat to triumph in Georgia’s presidential election in almost three decades. This triumph, complimented by Democrats securing both Senate seats a few weeks later, symbolized the party’s comeback in a state historically dominated by Republicans.
Changing Political Climate
As Mr. Biden revisits Atlanta, his aspirations for victory in Georgia against ex-President Donald J. Trump are set against a differing backdrop.
Any optimism among Georgia Democrats following his victory has been replaced by concern and uncertainty, related not only to his campaign prospects but also to the nation’s trajectory.
Discontent with Biden
At the esteemed Morehouse College, where Mr. Biden is due to give the commencement speech, several members of staff and student community called for the cancellation of the invitation, indicating their dissatisfaction with the President’s handling of Gaza’s warfare.
Moreover, recent survey findings indicate growing support for Mr. Trump within Georgia, as Mr. Biden’s support from Black voters, people of color, and the young generation – key contributors to his 2020 success – softens.
A Wave of Concern
Democratic candidate Erick Allen, who is running for a seat on the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, described the situation as a “lack of vitality and funding in Georgia.”
Mr. Allen highlighted his worry about the declining interest and investment in Georgia, citing a lack of critical statewide races, the lack of early pandemic chaos or racial justice protests that stirred some constituents in 2020.
The Potential of Georgia
Despite these apprehensions, many, including Mr. Allen, still harbor hope. Many of them insist that Georgia can once again play a pivotal role in the upcoming tightly contested election, as it did four years ago during Mr. Biden’s unexpected victory in Georgia.
They further emphasize that the news of Atlanta hosting the first televised debate between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump only reinforces this prospect.
Poder Latinx’s Yadira Sánchez stated, “Georgia still remains a pivotal state.” Sánchez is the executive director of the progressive civic engagement organization operational in Georgia and other states witnessing Hispanic population growth.
The Ongoing Efforts
The Biden campaign’s on-the-ground staff in Georgia has been operational for nine months. Mr. Biden’s speech at Morehouse and the ensuing primary election in the state signifies the commencement of the general election season, compelling some to reevaluate the factors that contributed the Democrats recent victories.
The democratic party rode on the demographic adjustments in the state, garnering strong support from white, Black, Asian American, and Latino voters in Atlanta’s rapidly growing suburbs, thanks to years of groundwork to register and mobilise new voters, especially poorer and younger voters of color who were less likely to vote historically.
The Transformations
This evolution became evident during the 2018 governor’s race when Stacey Abrams, a Democratic state legislator, performed well against Brian Kemp, the then Republican secretary of state. Mr. Abrams lost by approximately 55,000 votes.
This gradual transformation was considerably accelerated by a sequence of turbulent national and global events that happened in very striking ways in Georgia.
New Beginnings
“We were witnessing the dawn of a new era of civil rights,” Reverend Dr. Jamal Bryant, of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, asserted. He added that the Black Lives Matter movement enabled young people to “find their voice, their footing, and to combat a struggle they did not initiate but inherited.”
As the Election Day approached, television and radio were full of political advertisements from all sides. Candidates, parties, and civic groups deployed volunteers to knock on doors, make calls, and send text messages, and social media messages.
This resulted in an unprecedented turnout, with Mr. Biden narrowly defeating Mr. Trump, who had won the majority of Georgia counties, by slightly less than 12,000 votes.
A Taste of Jubilation and Despair
The outcome, particularly the level of engagement, prompted widespread celebration as it was once considered far-fetched. “They made their choice to be part of history,” Reverend Timothy McDonald III, pastor of First Iconium Baptist Church, stated.
However, state Republican lawmakers passed stringent legislation post-election, which added stricter absentee voting requirements, limited the number of ballot drop boxes, and shortened the time between an election and a runoff. These steps were taken in response to Mr. Trump’s groundless allegations that the 2020 victory was robbed from him and were intended to strengthen electoral integrity.
Yet, there were some who criticized these new restrictions as they disproportionately impacted voters of color, while other sections of the Republican Party continue to deny Mr. Biden’s victory.
Looking Toward November
As we approach November, Mr. Trump seems to be benefiting from backlash to the criminal cases against him, which, according to Joshua McKoon, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, aims to “criminalize political disagreement,” and also the “apparent failure of the current administration.”
There’s a concern among Democrats that voters might not turn out in the same numbers like before. Some 2020 Biden voters have become disillusioned due to Mr. Biden’s perceived lack of confrontation towards Israel, over GFP, socioeconomic issues like sky-high housing costs, and student loan debt.
However, some Biden supporters say that it’s not the lack of accomplishments that’s a problem, but rather Mr. Biden’s struggle to communicate these successes to the voters. They point to the low unemployment rates among Blacks, the influx of federal funds to communities for pandemic relief and infrastructure, and efforts to absolve student loan debt.
Campaign Strategies
The Biden campaign is planning on using these achievements as ammunition, sending high-profile Democrats, including Georgia’s senators, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, to whip up enthusiasm. Mr. Biden has started by highlighting his successes on an Atlanta radio station, emphasizing new job creation, investment in historically black colleges and universities, and capping the cost of insulin, a relevant issue in a state suffering from high diabetes rates.
This month, Georgia, among other battleground states, will witness a $14 million advertising campaign, according to Mr. Biden’s principal deputy campaign manager and Georgia native, Quentin Fulks.
The Momentum Building Up
Leslie Palomino, Georgia program coordinator for Poder Latinx, who voted for Mr. Biden four years ago and was involved in the campaigning, believes the stake and energy can be replicated this time as well.
“There’s still plenty of time till Election Day,” said Palomino, “Our people are resilient, and that’s what keeps me going.”
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