Season 2, Episode 7: How Kamala Harris Changed the Presidential Race in Georgia

Right before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, his path to victory appeared very narrow. It was: win the midwest states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

But with Kamala Harris now at the top of the ticket, the electoral map could open up for Democrats, and some of those states that Joe Biden won in 2020, but seemed out of reach in 2024, could be back in play. One of those states is Georgia.

Biden won narrowly there in 2020 thanks in large part to significant turnout and support from the Black community. Recent national polls show Kamala Harris running stronger with younger and voters of color than Biden. This helps to explain why her campaign chose Atlanta for her kickoff rally last Tuesday night.

Trump campaigns at the very same spot on Saturday.

Our guest today is Maya King, New York Times politics reporter for the Southeast based in Atlanta. We wanted to talk to her about what she’s hearing from voters in Georgia and how Kamala Harris is changing the dynamics in the state.

We spoke on Friday afternoon, a day before Trump’s Atlanta rally.