ALBANY, Ga. — Former President Bill Clinton on Sunday called on churchgoers in Albany, Ga., to rally behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ upbeat campaign for her former job.
“As Isaiah said, what works is bringing people and buildings together and mending the cracks,” Clinton said. work. “
Mount Zion Baptist Church was not sold to capacity, but a large crowd greeted Clinton with a standing ovation. Many of the attendees were elderly, but there were also younger people spread out throughout the seats.
“I think it was a huge step forward for Southwest Georgia to have the former president come to us today during the church service and spread the word about voting, especially to young people,” Takisha Campbell said. he said.
Georgia is one of seven critical states in this year’s presidential election, and black voter turnout could be the key to Democrats winning the state’s 16 electoral votes. State polls show Harris and former President Donald Trump tied, with President Joe Biden winning Georgia in 2020 by just 11,779 votes out of more than 5 million cast. It was the first time a Democratic president won the state since Clinton won in 1992. Four years later, Clinton lost the state to Republican Sen. Bob Dole, but won reelection.
In 1992, Mr. Clinton and then-Sen. Al Gore rode a campaign bus through southwestern Georgia to appeal to rural voters. Harris and Gov. Tim Walz revived the approach earlier this year by visiting Savannah and Liberty counties in the southeastern part of the state, but did not travel to the west.
At Mount Zion, Clinton recalled a time when politics were less polarized and lamented a political climate tainted by misinformation. He pointed to a post on X by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene claiming that Democrats caused Hurricane Helen, which hit the Southeast last month, and criticized President Trump’s 2020 defeat in this year’s campaign. He called out his vice presidential candidate, J.D. Vance, who has never acknowledged the issue. A “yes man” to Trump.
He also touted Harris’ accomplishments and promises, including her involvement in Biden’s efforts to lower insulin costs and stimulate the economy. He cited plans to provide financial support to first-time homeowners, paving the way for greater economic opportunity.
Regina Weary, who attended the service, said she wished more people knew the former president was coming. But she appreciated Mr. Clinton’s exposure to both policy and scripture.
“This was much needed because voter turnout is so low in this area, especially among black men,” Whaley said.
Democrats see Clinton as someone who can mobilize both rural and black voters. But while Mr. Clinton has been recognized for his popularity in black communities in the South, it remains to be seen whether he can still inspire black voters as the population familiar with his presidency grows older. do not have. But he didn’t hold back when talking about the stakes in this year’s race.
“This entire election and the future of this country is becoming about how people who have been hesitant to vote will do so over the next three and a half weeks,” Clinton said. “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”
A recent poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that despite efforts to appeal to nonwhite voters, black registered voters overwhelmingly view Harris favorably and Trump unfavorably. I have a certain point of view. But the poll also shows that many black voters are unsure whether Harris will improve the country as a whole or their own lives.
Albany was an early battleground of the civil rights movement. Hundreds of protesters, including Martin Luther King Jr., were arrested and jailed in 1961 and 1962, drawing national attention to the city.
Mr. Clinton, who served as governor of Arkansas before taking office, also spoke at his campaign office in Albany, telling attendees that he had asked his campaign to send him to the countryside where he felt most at home.
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Crammon is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon
