ATLANTA — As the countdown to Election Day continues, former President Barack Obama made a notable appearance in Clayton County to bolster support for the Democratic candidates in Georgia.
This visit comes on the heels of efforts by Republicans to galvanize their voter base, highlighted by two visits from President Donald Trump earlier this month.
Obama took the opportunity to associate Georgia’s leading Republican candidates with Trump, criticizing the president’s approach to national governance and the increasing costs affecting the nation.
He specifically held Trump accountable for initiating a conflict with Iran, attributing the rise in prices to this decision, and mocked the administration’s tariffs.
Obama humorously remarked that Trump had launched a trade conflict with an “evil empire that is a sworn adversary of the United States — Canada,” acknowledging the Canadians as “the people who gave us maple syrup and Martin Short, the nicest people around.”
The event at The Arena at Southlake in Morrow featured speeches from Democratic U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who is running for governor, along with other Democratic candidates, also addressed their campaigns.
Ossoff, seeking to retain his position, faces a challenge from Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, while Bottoms is competing against Republican businessman Rick Jackson.
Obama accused the current administration of corruption, suggesting that a Republican-majority Congress would ignore such issues, specifically mentioning Collins. He described Jackson as a follower of Trump.
Jackson’s campaign has been notably self-financed, with over $100 million of his personal funds, which Warnock pointedly highlighted.
“I need you to send Rick Jackson a clear message,” Warnock urged. “Georgia is not for sale.”
Both Bottoms and Ossoff criticized their opponents in their speeches.
Bottoms referred to Trump as a “wannabe dictator” and labeled Jackson his “billionaire sidekick,” emphasizing the Democratic movement’s resilience against financial power.
Ossoff criticized Trump as a “draft-dodging” leader unable to navigate the “needless” conflict with Iran, further criticizing Collins for his consistent support of Trump’s policies, including the controversial tax and spending bill.
Ossoff argued that these decisions have led to the loss of healthcare for hundreds of thousands, condemning them as examples of “the cynical indifference of powerful people.”
In response to Obama’s visit, Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon stated that Ossoff is “clearly going to run as the Socialist candidate for President in 2028,” which he suggested explains Obama’s support.
Also speaking at the rally, Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, predicted a strong Democratic performance in the upcoming election.
With over 2 million early votes already cast, a record for Georgia, Bryant quipped, “Somebody should check the weather forecast. A blue tsunami is about to hit Georgia.”
Early voting concludes on Friday, with Election Day set for Tuesday, when the outcomes will reveal if Bryant’s prediction comes true.
