SAVANNAH ― Donald Trump has staged campaign rallies in many corners of Georgia in his 10 years in politics.
From a drag strip in Commerce to airports in Dalton and Valdosta to a fairgrounds in Perry, the former president and Republican presidential nominee has a reputation for meeting his supporters where they live — in cities and rural areas well beyond Atlanta’s perimeter.
Come Tuesday, Trump checks Savannah off his Georgia bucket list. He is scheduled to deliver a speech focused on tax policy and domestic manufacturing at 1 p.m. at the Johnny Mercer Theatre.
The visit comes less than a month after his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, became the rare Democratic presidential candidate to swing through South Georgia. Her visit included an appearance at a high school in Hinesville, a coastal Democratic stronghold, as well as a high-energy rally at Savannah’s Enmarket Arena.
To Trump supporter Ryan Purvis, a member of the Savannah Young Republicans, the former president’s campaign visit affirms his commitment to voters outside of large metros Democrats often overlook.
“Trump has definitely done this many times over the years. What other candidate can say they’ve held multiple rallies in Valdosta, Georgia? Trump can,” he said. “I seriously doubt that Vice President Harris can point out Valdosta on a map.”
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Georgia’s standing as a battleground state and Savannah’s growth into an economic hub and population center has raised the city’s and region’s political profile. The area’s highest-profile politician, House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican from neighboring Effingham County, said Trump’s visit is further evidence that “southeast Georgia has found its footing” in terms of political influence.
Burns and others expect Trump to receive a warm reception, even as he lost the popular vote in Savannah’s Chatham County in the last two elections. Trump has plenty of support in the area, as Republicans make up close to 45% of the Chatham electorate. Neighboring counties Bryan and Effingham are overwhelmingly conservative.
Savannah and coastal Georgia are represented in Congress by a GOP native son, Rep. Buddy Carter. Another Republican congressman, Rep. Rick Allen of Augusta, represents a swath of residents on metro Savannah’s northern edge as well.
Credit: Adam Van Brimmer/AJC
Credit: Adam Van Brimmer/AJC
According to state Sen. Ben Watson, a Savannah Republican, metro Savannah’s political profile reflects that of the rest of the state — red with a tinge of purple.
“Georgia is a Republican state, although that edge is like 52% Republican to 48% Democrat, so it’s wise of Trump to come here and promote his policies and engage with voters,” said Watson, who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and has served in the General Assembly since 2011. “If he doesn’t win Georgia, it’s going to be tough to win the election.”
Local Republican leaders expressed excitement over Trump’s visit. Their Democratic colleagues said Harris’ visit in August was proof that the “lane to the White House” passed through the city, and Democratic voters filled every available seat in Enmarket Arena — although several sections in the 9,500-seat venue’s upper deck were curtained off.
GOP officials expect a similarly large and energetic crowd to welcome Trump, just as happened in August when each of the candidates held campaign rallies in the same Atlanta venue in a five-day span.
“President Donald Trump is always welcome in the Hostess City,” Carter said. “His message of restoring America’s strength and prosperity, securing our borders, and putting the American people first is resonating across our state and across the country.”
To Savannah-area Democrats, Trump’s visit is an indication of “just how much the coast matters,” said Aaron “Adot” Whitely, the chair of the Chatham County Democratic Party. From a political standpoint, he said the Trump event is meant to troll Harris following her campaign stop in Savannah and is a sign of desperation as Harris builds support with Georgia voters.
“Ultimately, it looks like he’s grasping at straws and trying to undo anything the Harris-Walz campaign does,” Whitely said. “He’s being more reactive than proactive. He’s trying to catch up.”
Some local Republicans are anxious about what Trump’s message to voters will be, particularly when it comes to mentions of popular Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. At an Atlanta rally in August, Trump criticized Kemp for refusing to challenge the state’s election results in 2020, reviving a long-running, one-sided feud. The two have since made peace, with Kemp voicing support for Trump in television appearances.
But Kemp won’t attend the Savannah event, due to a long-standing scheduling conflict, and Trump has a history of revisiting past grievances during his often-lengthy campaign speeches.
“As long as I’ve been involved in politics, I’ve always worried what a candidate will say. He is no different, but you have to let Trump be Trump. That’s his appeal,” Savannah’s Purvis said. “He says what’s on his mind and makes no excuses.”
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