Vice President Mike Pence already had to cancel one fundraiser to boost Republican Brian Kemp's campaign for governor because of a hurricane. He's not yet sidelined the makeup date despite another monster storm headed for Georgia.
Pence still plans to arrive at a Delta Air Lines facility Thursday afternoon and then follow it up with a high-dollar Georgia GOP fundraiser in Buckhead. Donors were sent an email late Wednesday asking them to “please monitor your inbox” in case of a late change.
If he comes, he’ll surely be shadowed by questions about the timing of his visit, just as Hurricane Michael is churning through Georgia.
Democrats also plan to roll out the welcome mat with a rally outside of the Grand Hyatt Buckhead featuring a range of supporters of Democrat Stacey Abrams. Among the speakers are Jeff Graham of Georgia Equality and Nse Ufot of the New Georgia Project.
The trip was moved to Thursday after an earlier visit was scrapped in September as Hurricane Florence menaced Georgia. For that trip, Pence scheduled two Florence-related pit stops before he was to arrive at the GOP benefit.
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Meanwhile, the two candidates haven't yet announced any change of plans with the impending storm's approach. In battered Florida, where Michael made landfall earlier Wednesday, the candidates for governor put their campaigns on hold for a few days to meet with emergency officials.
In a statement, Abrams campaign manager Lauren Groh Wargo said the campaign is “keeping a close eye on Hurricane Michael and moving any staff in affected areas to safe territory.”
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Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder visited Georgia over the weekend to stump for Stacey Abrams and other Democrats, but his comments advocating a more aggressive approach to the midterms are just now surfacing online.
At a rally with volunteers in front of Abrams campaign signs, he talked about how Democrats should start to model themselves after Republicans. Said Holder, to warm applause:
It is time for us as Democrats to be as tough as they are, to be as dedicated as they are, to be as committed as they are … Michelle Obama always says when they go low, we go high. No. No. When they go low, we kick them.
That elicited a sharp response from John Watson, the chair of the Georgia GOP, who urged Abrams to denounce “violence and incivility in politics.”
“Will she protect all Georgians, or kick them out of her way as she clamors to join the growing club of unhinged national Democrats?”
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