‘The momentum in this race is shifting’: Kamala Harris returns to Atlanta as the people’s choice

“We have 98 days to get this done,” said former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, after she came out to a large applause and chants of “Stacey, Stacey, Stacey.” Abrams was making her first appearance in support of United States Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for the presidency. “What is coming is better than what was had. Together we will do the work of Kamala Harris. Together we will get it done.”

Along with Abrams, Georgia Congresswoman Nikema Williams (District 5), Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, and Senators Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock took the stage to pump up the crowd before Harris made her first appearance in Atlanta as a presidential candidate. “Georgia, are you ready to make history again?,” Dickens asked the crowd. “Then let’s elect Kamala Harris.” 

Ossoff, who took the stage alongside Warnock, said Trump was “too scared” to debate Harris and Warnock added that Georgia saved the nation during the last election and “I have a feeling, Georgia, you’re going to save the nation once again. Everybody knows the road to the White House goes through Georgia.” 

Grammy-winning artists Meg the Stallion and Quavo joined the celebration. Meg the Stallion performed a number of her hit sings before Harris took the stage at 7 p.m. She said, “Let’s get this done, Atlanta” in between songs. “We’re about to make history, Atlanta.”

Kamala Harris immediately went into being clear that the road to the White House goes through the state of Georgia. She also repeated her popular line of “knowing Donald Trump’s type.”

“I will proudly put my record against his any day,” said Harris.

During her speech she touched on abortion, building up the middle class, working on being able to bring down the prices of housing and childcare, the dangers of Project 2025, and providing border control. All of the hot topics this election season.

“Donald Trump doesn’t care about border security,” she said. “He only cares about himself. When I am president I’m going to work to solve the problem.”

The Georgia State University Convocation Center has 8,000 seats in it and on Tuesday night nearly all of them were full of supporters by the time Harris took the stage.

“Generations before us led the fight for freedom and now the baton is on our hands,” Harris said. “The momentum in this race is shifting and there are signs that Donald Trump is feeling it.”

Supporters from all over metro Atlanta filled the arena seats and what would normally be the playing floor for the Georgia State University Panthers basketball and volleyball teams. People like Frank Turpin who said he braved the weather and ling lines to be inside the arena to see and hear Harris.

“I didn’t know her candidacy would be like this,” said Turpin, who added he wasn’t excited about a Biden/Trump rematch before everything changed “This is the best thing [they] could done.”

Linda Jordan, a democratic voter and Harris supporter said she feels connected to the vice president in many ways past them both being women of color.

“I think she is about community, I think she’s about the future and not the past,” said Jordan. “I’m here to support her. It feels like she’s bringing hope to America.”

Tuesday was Harris’ sixth visit to metro Atlanta this year, 15th overall since she became vice president in 2020, and her first visit to the Convocation Center. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, a serious candidate to become Harris’ vice president, was in Forsyth County on Sunday to stump for the vice president.

Kim Amis, a first time political campaign volunteer, walked around helping people find their seats and sharing campaign information. Amis, a democrat, said she got involved in the campaign because of Harris.

“This right here,” she said as she pointed to the large crowd, “I thought I’d never see this. When she stepped forward it was like electricity.”

Harris, along with United States President Joseph R. Biden, are scheduled to be in Houston for the funeral of Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee later this week. Former President Donald J. Trump is scheduled to meet with journalists during the first day of the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago on Wednesday. According to the organization’s website, Harris has also been invited to the conference.

Before she was done with her speech Harris said she hoped Trump would reconsider debating her before Election Day. There are only 98 days till November 5.

“Georgia, today I ask you, are you ready to get to work?, said Harris.

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