[ad_1]
DOSSIER – In this archive photo from January 7, 2018, Oprah Winfrey poses in the press room with the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 75th Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California. In the last days of one of the hottest races Governor, Oprah Winfrey and President Donald Trump, as well as former Presidents Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter and Vice President Mike Pence, are trying to make their mark elections in Georgia. Winfrey joins Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams for two town hall events, the same day Pence goes to the state for several rallies with Republican Brian Kemp. (Photo by Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP, File) (Associated Press)
ATLANTA – Oprah Winfrey brings her star power to one of the country's most successful running of governors, as President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama attempt to mark the elections in Georgia.
Winfrey will join Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams for two town hall events on Thursday, the same day Vice President Mike Pence will visit the state for several rallies with Republican Brian Kemp.
Trump and Obama will follow with the respective candidates of their party over the next three days. Former President Jimmy Carter, a supporter of Abrams and former governor of Georgia, had already attracted attention this week with a personal plea for Kemp to step down as secretary of state, responsible for elections in Georgia, to ensure public confidence in the expected results. race.
The blitz highlights the major issue of one of the decisive battles of mid-session next week, as Abrams claims to be the first black governor in US history, while Kemp attempts to maintain the GOP dominance in a state that Democrats are about to become a presidential battleground.
The appearance of Winfrey, among the richest and best-known black women in the world, is a big blow for Abrams, who must maximize his support from non-white voters and liberal white women. All of these demographics overlap with the Winfrey fan base and it will affect them all through events in Republican-biased Cobb County and the highly democratic DeKalb County, both located miles from downtown. Atlanta.
Although sometimes mentioned as a presidential candidate of 2020, Winfrey failed in his intentions. His most visible incursion into electoral politics was that of an unconditional supporter of Obama, his compatriot from Chicago, during his first victory at the White House in 2008.
The scheduled appearance of Trump on Sunday has set aside the last scheduled debate between Kemp and Abrams. WSB-TV Atlanta confirmed Wednesday night the end of the game scheduled at 17 hours. Sunday had been canceled and would not be postponed until the opening of the poll on Tuesday.
The two campaigns agreed several weeks ago to debate in the WSB-TV studios. But Kemp's campaign said the president's schedule took precedence – and that he would travel to Macon, about 160 km south of Atlanta, to hold a rally with Kemp at 4 pm
The Kemp campaign tried to make the cancellation due to Abrams, claiming that the Republican candidate was ready to go back on time, but that Abrams had refused.
WSB-TV issued a lengthy statement detailing its efforts to find a new time slot, while noting that it was Kemp's withdrawal from the initial plan that triggered the termination.
Several polls reveal a statistical dead heat between Kemp and Abrams, with a small percentage of remaining undecided voters. It is possible that a second round will take place in December, since the libertarian Ted Metz is also registered on the ballot. Georgia requires the winner to receive a majority of the votes.
This could mean that events that energize vital supporters, such as a rally with Trump or Obama, weigh more heavily than a debate less than 48 hours before polling day.
Both candidates have regularly made calls to their respective bases. Kemp has adopted Trump and echoed the President's immigration policy. He has focused much of his campaign in the most conservative pockets of the state, beyond the city of Atlanta.
The visits of Trump and Pence – and the location of these events – illustrate this strategy.
While Abrams has touted his experience of working with Republicans as a minority leader in the Georgia Legislature, his positions on health care, education spending, criminal justice and gun regulation have made it a reality. she is a shameless liberal. She is openly courting Democratic voters who have largely attended the mid-term elections in the past, claiming that it is a better way to win than trying to persuade older white voters who have abandoned the Democrats. to vote.
Obama will appear with Abrams on Friday in a group of historically black colleges near downtown Atlanta.
—–
Follow Barrow on Twitter at https // twitter.com / BillBarrowAP.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.
[ad_2]
Source link
