MARIETTA, Ga. — 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue may be within the borders of Washington, D.C., but local officials say the key to unlocking its front door may lie in a suburb outside of Atlanta.
“It's not just a state issue, it's a federal issue,” Cobb County Democratic Party Chairman Essence Johnson said in an interview on Fox News Digital. “Cobb County is the epicenter. It's not only a wake-up call for the state of Georgia, but also at the federal level. … That's why Cobb County is so important.”
Sally Grubbs, chairwoman of the Cobb County Republican Party, told FOX News Digital that her region is “very key to this election.”
“I think Cobb County is the key,” she says. “I fight with people all the time about whether Cobb is blue or red or things like that. And the reality is we have the most Republican voters per population in the state.”
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Fox News Digital asked voters in Atlanta who they think will win the battleground state, former President Trump or Vice President Harris. (Getty Images)
Georgia's traditional Republican status was upended in 2020 when then-Democratic candidate Joe Biden won the state. Its status as a battleground state was solidified with the victory of Sen. Raphael Warnock (Democratic Party) in the 2022 midterm elections.
Statewide, Biden beat then-President Trump by less than 1 percentage point. In Cobb County, which includes parts of the Atlanta suburbs and is centered around the city of Marietta, Biden's victory margin was nearly 15%.
When asked how the ground game in Cobb County has changed now that Democrats are trying to hold on to Georgia rather than flip it, Johnson said the key is to be “deliberate” with your outreach and ” “It's about meeting the people who are there,” he said.
She also indicated that abortion is a top issue for Democrats this election cycle, but getting certain groups, such as black men and white women, to the ballot box will still be an uphill battle for Harris. He pointed out that there is a possibility.
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“We're seeing the vulnerabilities in our constituents, and we're also reaching out to those communities to really understand why they don't feel like their voices are being heard.” said Johnson.
“They don't feel that certain policies are reaching them. And they say there's no specific policy for anyone, but reproductive rights is something that affects my son. Right? He has a responsibility for reproductive rights, because it could be his girlfriend or partner.'', his best friend. ”
She also noted that reproductive rights affect white suburban women, who are “sometimes the most vulnerable voters.”
Meanwhile, Trump's campaign is courting minority men disillusioned with the Democratic Party, a strategy his allies believe is critical to winning in battleground states like Georgia. .
Cobb County Democratic Party Chairman Essence Johnson told Fox News Digital. (Fox News Digital)
Grubbs declined to say what demographic he thinks will be key to taking back Cobb County, but he said the path to Republican victory includes a focus on local issues and election integrity. he pointed out.
“I don't tend to look at things like that,” Grubbs says.
“My view, especially at the local level, is what's going on in your community, what are your values, and what is your quality of life? We just replaced everything from the county level to the national level.”
She cited the recent dockers' strike, supply chain issues and “quality of schools” as issues affecting people both locally and nationally.
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FOX News Digital also spoke with Cobb County Republican Party Chair Sally Grubbs. (Fox News Digital)
Grubbs also said he is focused on Americans having confidence in elections, saying, “This election requires everyone to go out and vote. Everyone needs to vote in their own way. “We need to have our voices heard. Everyone needs to be concerned about the integrity of our elections.”
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“They need to know that when they vote, their vote matters,” Grubbs said.
Georgia's early voting period begins October 15th and runs through November 1st.
