On Thursday, the 29th day of August 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris made a strategic visit to southeastern Georgia, a region that is less frequented by national politicians compared to other densely populated states like Atlanta areas.
This is part of her relentless efforts to boost the support of the Democratic Party in this crucial battleground state. Kamala Harris also addressed the crowd in Savannah, where she highlighted the important role Georgia has to play in the upcoming election.
In Kamala Harris’s words, “For the past two election cycles, voters in this very state, you who are here, have delivered. You sent two extraordinary senators to Washington, D.C..”
She also references Georgia Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. She spoke highly of the efforts of Georgia voters and also used the opportunity to remind them of the role they played in securing a Democratic victory in the last election. “You showed up, you knocked on doors, you registered folks to vote, and you made it happen,” she went further to say. “You did that. And so now we are asking you to do it again.”
Expanding Outreach Beyond Atlanta
Kamala Harris has had a busy week. Her visit to Savannah also marks the culmination of a two-day bus tour through southeastern Georgia. She is not alone in this journey, as she is always accompanied by her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
In her recent stop at a local café, during her bus tour, Harris announced her upcoming proposal, which is the introduction of tax credits for new startups as well as small businesses.
“This is one of my singular priorities: to invest and grow our small businesses,” Harris stated in her announcement during her bus tour.
Not to forget, Atlanta is historically the go-to point of political campaigns in Georgia. Kamala Harris’s move has earned her praise from democratic leaders in Savannah; she has expanded her outreach to other parts of the state. Aaron “Adot” Whitely, who is the chair leader of the Democratic Party in Chatham County, has publicly expressed his appreciation for the much-needed attention given to southeastern Georgia. “Atlanta has always gotten the juice, has always gotten the love, but us here in southeast Georgia, we matter,” Whitely said.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson also took out time to applaud the campaign’s effort to engage with the voters outside of Atlanta. He went further to state that Harris’s campaign had opened about seven field offices in southern Georgia. “The fallacy often is that Georgia is Atlanta and Atlanta is Georgia,” in the words of Johnson.
Crowd support and protester interruptions
Reports have it that the rally at Savannah’s Enmarket Arena drew an energetic and stunning crowd, with about 7,500 supporters. Reports have it that many people were at the venue 3 hours before Harris was set to speak, not minding the rain and long security lines. In the arena, supporters were seen waving signs that read “Freedom” and “A New Way Forward,” while the local radio DJ CJ kept the high energy with feet-moving music.
Despite the enthusiastic democratic atmosphere, the event was briefly interrupted by some protesters. One individual who was advocating for Palestinian rights was seen being escorted out, while the second protester’s message was not clear. However, the unfazed Harris asserted her focus on securing a hostage deal, stating, “I am speaking now.”
