In the past eight years, Georgia’s political landscape has undergone significant changes. In 2016, Donald Trump emerged victorious, winning the state’s presidential electoral votes. However, in 2020, Joe Biden flipped the state, defeating Trump. In addition, the state’s two Republican-held U.S. Senate seats are now in the hands of Democrats. Despite these Democratic victories, Republican Brian Kemp defeated Stacey Abrams twice in the gubernatorial race. The political fluctuations in Georgia highlight the state’s shifting political allegiances.
The Georgia legislature’s passing of a comprehensive overhaul of state election procedures caused quite the stir. President Biden referred to it as “Jim Crow 2.0,” highlighting the perceived implications. The Major League Baseball (MLB) also took a stand by relocating the All-Star Game from the state.
Georgia has become the ultimate swing state, much like Pennsylvania. The state served as the perfect backdrop for the first-ever national television debate between an incumbent president and a former president in modern history. On Thursday, Biden and Trump went head-to-head in Georgia, making it a highly anticipated event.
As per the latest Atlanta Journal-Constitution-University of Georgia poll, Trump was leading with 43% of likely Georgia voters, while Biden had 38%. The poll also revealed that 9% of voters are in favor of independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is yet to qualify for the Georgia ballot but is widely expected to do so. With these numbers in mind, tonight’s debate holds significant importance for both candidates as they try to sway voters in their favor.
According to Jeff Brauer, a political science professor at Keystone College, debates are often given more weight than necessary. He believes that most people who tune in to debates have already decided which candidate they support and are merely looking for confirmation.
According to an expert in politics, the current debate is unique due to its timing and the fact that it involves incumbents. The debate is happening much earlier than usual, and it is uncommon for incumbents to face each other in a debate. This makes the current situation truly unprecedented in the modern era.
According to Brauer, the stakes were high for Biden on the night of the event. He needed to rally the coalition that voted for him in the 2020 election, which has been gradually diminishing. In contrast, Trump’s supporters have remained loyal to him, despite his actions and even criminal convictions. Brauer explained, “Whereas Trump’s supporters seem to be with him, even through felony convictions, no matter what he says or how he acts.”
On Thursday night, the crucial question was which candidate could successfully expand their coalition beyond their core base. The key factor in determining this was their performance during the event. The ultimate goal was to win over the voters who are commonly referred to as the “double haters.” These individuals have voted for both candidates in previous elections, yet have been dissatisfied with them for vastly different reasons. The challenge for the candidates was to sway these voters and build a coalition that transcends party lines.
One such voter who represents a growing number of Americans is Leland Sproul. He lives in suburban Atlanta and works as a customer-training manager for a Fortune 500 company. In the 2016 election, he cast his vote for Trump, but in 2020, he switched to Biden. However, he was left disappointed by both candidates and decided not to vote for any of the US Senate candidates, regardless of their political affiliation.
Although he didn’t support Trump in the 2020 presidential election, he did cast his ballot for Kemp.
Sproul had initially expressed his reluctance to watch the debate, given the frustration it was likely to cause him due to the actions of the parties involved. However, he ultimately decided to subject himself to the experience, describing it as “torture.”
Joe Cobb, a training manager for a Fortune 500 company and a resident of Athens, expressed his disappointment with his second vote for Trump. While he had initially voted for Trump with enthusiasm, he now feels ashamed of his decision.
As the debate between the presidential candidates began, Biden was prepared for Trump’s attacks. However, as the debate progressed, Biden’s own performance seemed to falter. The commentator noted, “the more and more Biden talked during the debate, it is Biden who is giving us the worst.” Despite his initial expectations, it was Biden himself who seemed to struggle in the debate.
During the debate, Cobb was taken aback when Biden initiated the topic of Afghanistan. He was also surprised by Trump’s behavior, although he did note that he was relatively composed. Cobb was particularly impressed when Trump subtly poked fun at Biden’s lack of coherence by admitting that he didn’t understand what Biden was saying.
In a nutshell, Cobb expressed his disappointment in Biden’s performance during the debate. Despite acknowledging Biden as a decent person, Cobb concluded that he cannot vote for him after seeing his lackluster display on Thursday night. “After this debate, I cannot vote for him,” Cobb stated firmly.
According to Cobb, Trump’s choice for vice president will play a crucial role in determining whether he will vote for him or not. It remains to be seen if he will actively sit out the election altogether.
According to Jim Southard, a successful entrepreneur from suburban Atlanta, he voted for Trump twice, appreciating his policies. However, going into this election cycle, he was dissatisfied with the choices available. Despite this, he maintains his conservative beliefs and trusts in his ability to make a living, irrespective of who is in office.
The first few minutes of the debate left him surprised by Biden’s incoherent rambles, and unfortunately, it continued throughout.
According to Southard, Biden’s performance in the debate was disappointing. “I was really expecting Biden to do a better job, similar to his State of the Union address,” he expressed. Furthermore, Southard remarked that Biden appeared “very old and feeble.” Despite the fairness of the questions presented in the debate, it was painful for Southard to watch Biden’s performance, as he felt that “Biden failed miserably.”
According to Southard, it’s important for Trump to appeal to a wider audience and find common ground. Even though he finds it hard to admit, Southard revealed that he plans to cast his vote for Trump. However, he expressed his disappointment towards the current state of leadership in both parties, stating that it’s a sad situation for America.
Sproul remains undecided on whom to vote for.
According to Brauer, Biden typically performs well under pressure and rises to the occasion. However, during the current event, Brauer noted that Biden seemed nervous and exhibited peculiar behaviors. “His voice is very hoarse, and he is talking quickly and rushing his speech,” Brauer observed. Additionally, Brauer noticed that Biden gave unusual looks while Trump was speaking.
According to Brauer, Trump’s behavior and message are impressively well-controlled. He listens attentively, refrains from interrupting, and delivers confident responses. This behavior is in stark contrast to his previous debate performances and the predictions of many pundits.
According to Brauer, the most fascinating aspect of the debate was observing two real Presidents with actual track records engage in a discussion. He also noted that the unexpected performances were noteworthy.
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According to Brauer, the key to winning an election is not solely based on past achievements, but rather on the plans for the future. He believes that voters are more concerned about how their lives will improve under a president. “Too much has been focused on the past records and not on possibilities, plans for the future. Elections are about the future. Voters want to know how their lives will become better under a president,” Brauer emphasized.
According to Brauer, Biden, the current incumbent, missed an opportunity to showcase his accomplishments and lay out a plan for a potential second term. Instead, he spent too much time responding to Trump’s accusations, fact-checking him, and resorting to name-calling.