ATLANTA — All presidential candidates know the road to victory likely runs through the Peach State. This week's presidential debate proves that.
"Trump's goal is to really galvanize the Republican base in Georgia," Kennesaw State University professor of political science David Shock said. "Biden needs to show he can win back and bring enthusiasm into the race to lure young people to the polls in high numbers."
Atlanta held a Democratic presidential primary debate in 2019.
Its only other debate of this magnitude was more than thirty years ago between Al Gore and Dan Quayle — the two vice presidential candidates in 1992. It was held on Georgia Tech's campus; abortion was a key issue, 11Alive archives show.
Thursday's debate at the CNN Studios will be the city's first-ever debate with both the Republican and Democratic nominees for president.
"You can win the presidency without winning Georgia, but it gets to be more difficult," Shock told 11Alive News. "It's a game of enthusiasm and building enthusiasm among key supporters to turn out to vote. "
Shock said Georgia is already a key player in national politics, as evidenced by multiple visits from President Joe Biden, Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris so far this year.
"The people moving into Georgia tend to trend more democratic, and so for Democrats, it becomes important," he said. "Atlanta becomes kind of the capitol for Democrats in the new South... it's a base for Democrats to expand operations throughout the South."