ATLANTA — Vice President JD Vance visited metro Atlanta to help raise money for Republican candidates ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Georgia on Friday.
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The brief visit included a stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where Vance arrived Wednesday morning and departed that afternoon.
For some Republicans, the visits from Vance and Trump come at a critical time as candidates work to energize the party’s base ahead of the election.
Andre Stafford, a Republican running for Georgia House District 42 in Cobb County, said he believes the high-profile visits could encourage more Republican voters to turn out.
“Georgia’s still in play,” Stafford said. “We have the vice president coming in today, we have President Trump coming in Friday to show that when the base is energized, the base will turn out.”
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Stafford is running for a state House seat, a down-ballot race that typically receives less attention than high-profile contests such as the U.S. Senate race involving Republican Mike Collins.
Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Jack, who is facing Democrat Maura Keller in a competitive reelection race, also emphasized the importance of voter turnout.
“We’ve got to turn out voters,” Jack said. “We have at present 50% of Republicans predicted and projected to turn out. We’ve got to get to 60%.”
Georgia Democrats criticized the visits, pointing to Vance and Trump’s support for Republican candidates, including Collins and Rick Jackson.
“JD Vance and Donald Trump are descending on Georgia this week, all while Mike Collins and Rick Jackson campaign to enact this toxic administration’s price-hiking agenda,” Georgia Democrats said.
Stafford said turnout among Republican voters could make a difference in closely contested races across the state.
“In those key races, where it could be 50,000 votes to separate the candidates, the MAGA base showing up will be a difference maker,” Stafford said.
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