‘Like nothing I’ve ever seen’: Energy soars as Harris rallies supporters in Savannah

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WCBD) – The crowd roared as Vice President Kamala Harris took the stage at Enmarket Arena to rally thousands of eager supporters in Georgia on Thursday.

“The energy I’ve seen infused in this campaign is nothing like I’ve ever seen before,” said Dr. Annie Andrews ahead of the vice president’s arrival.

Andrews is among many South Carolinians who traveled down through the Lowcountry to hear from Harris as she capped off a two-day bus tour through southeast Georgia. Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, joined her on the campaign trail but did not attend Thursday’s rally.

“We know in South Carolina, this may be the closest chance we have to see the vice president in this last 60 days so making the trip was a no-brainer today,” said Emily Mayer, a Beaufort County resident who currently serves on the South Carolina Democratic Party’s communications team.

Chants of “we’re not going back” erupted across the arena as Harris sought to draw a stark contrast between Democrats’ and Republicans’ visions for the country.

She spoke about building what she calls an “opportunity economy” in order to create inter-generational wealth and the need for affordable health care and paid family leave.

“Donald Trump has a very different plan,” Harris said. “Just look at his Project 2025 agenda.”

An Emerson College/The Hill poll released Thursday shows a tight race between Harris and Trump in seven battleground states.

Harris has a slight lead in Georgia (49% to 48%), Michigan (50% to 47%), and Nevada (49% to 48%), while Trump has a 1-point edge in Wisconsin and North Carolina and three points in Arizona (50% to 47%). The nominees are tied in Pennsylvania.

Thursday’s rally — Harris’ first since in Georgia becoming the nominee — is part of a two-pronged strategy by the Harris-Walz campaign to make inroads in GOP strongholds.

Campaign officials believe that in order to beat Trump in the state, they will need more than Atlanta and the suburbs that delivered for Joe Biden in 2020.

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign insists that Georgia is still very much in play for them in 2024. They have set up a robust volunteer operation across the state and Trump himself has softened his rhetoric toward state leaders, including Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, in an attempt to stave off Harris’ polling bump.

“Democrats in Georgia are finally learning an important lesson…there is more to Georgia than just Atlanta. Republicans from Catoosa to Camden County and everywhere in between are fired up and ready to re-elect President Donald J. Trump because his message of putting America first again resonates with Americans of all backgrounds,” Morgan Ackley, the communications director for Team Trump in Georgia, said.

Just as Georgia Democrats did in 2020, Democrats in South Carolina are hoping they can flip the ruby-red state in November.

South Carolina is not considered a swing state as voters have backed a Republican for president in every election since 1980. Yet, Harris supporters believe victories up and down the ballot are within reach for Democrats.

“In 2020, Joe Biden got 43%. Donald Trump only got 55%. So it’s not as huge of a gap as people might lead you to believe that it is,” said Mayer.

Mayer, who attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, hinged possible success on the turnout of disengaged voters, meaning those who are registered but do not closely follow politics.

“I think the energy and excitement that you’re seeing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz bring to the top of the ticket are bringing out people that typically stay home,” she said. “I think you’re seeing a whole new voting bloc come out because of the enthusiasm and that’s what’s going to make the difference, specifically in South Carolina with some of our down-ballot House races and state Senate races that we’re really hoping to get back that we lost two years ago.”

Harris has seen a surge in momentum and money since she entered the presidential race last month. The campaign said it raised $82 million during the DNC and has brought in a whopping $540 million since Biden’s endorsement.

While enthusiasm for the Harris-Walz ticket is high among staunch Democrats, both Mayer and Andrews warned against overconfidence.

“We cannot get overconfident,” Andrews, who ran against Rep. Nancy Mace (R) for South Carolina’s First Congressional District seat in 2022, said. “We have to do everything in our power to knock on doors, to phone bank, to donate if we can because this is within reach.”

“We have to like we’re 10 points behind,” Mayer said. “I do not want us to repeat our mistakes from 2016. I don’t want anyone to assume this is a done deal.”

The deadline to register to vote in person and online in South Carolina is Friday, October 4.

Early voting will be open for two weeks ahead of Election Day from Monday, Oct. 21 to Saturday, Nov. 2.

The Associated Press contributed.