Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) announced Saturday that Georgia is now a competitive state for Democrats, attributing this shift to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and predicting her likely win in November. In an MSNBC interview with Rev. Al Sharpton, Ossoff expressed that Harris’ campaign launch has surpassed his high expectations.
“She’s quickly united the Democratic Party behind her candidacy, creating momentum in this head-to-head race against former President Trump, and energizing volunteers and grassroots Democrats nationwide,” he added. “She’s put Georgia in play.”
Before President Biden exited the race, he significantly lagged behind Trump in Georgia. However, recent polls indicate Harris is much more competitive in the state. According to a The Hill/Emerson College poll on Thursday, she trails Trump by just 2 points, within the margin of error.
Ossoff predicted a close race in Georgia, expecting Harris to emerge victorious. “This will be a tight race, requiring a substantial effort similar to what was needed to deliver Georgia for President Biden in November 2020 and to win the two historic Senate runoff victories in 2021,” he stated.
Polling shows Harris outperforming Biden among key demographics like young people, Black voters, and Hispanic voters, crucial for swing states such as Georgia and Arizona.
Democrats have swiftly rallied behind Harris, with her campaign securing enough committed delegates to effectively clinch the party’s nomination. With no challengers for the nomination, her campaign has shattered numerous fundraising records to compensate for the late start.
While Harris shows improvement over Biden’s figures against Trump, attention now shifts to her choice of vice presidential candidate. Recent Georgia polls show her trailing Trump by one, two, and four points, respectively.