Harris pushes Georgia Democrats to turn ‘pain into purpose’ in fight against ‘tyrant’ Trump

MACON, Georgia — Former Vice President Kamala Harris called on Democratic voters and volunteers infuriated by President Donald Trump’s administration to turn their “pain into purpose” in the five final days before the midterm elections.

“We have a moment now to turn pain into purpose. We have a moment now to say that we see you, neighbor, and we know you can’t afford the price for gas, or food, or housing, or childcare, or healthcare, and we intend, with your help, to do something about that,” Harris told several dozen attendees at a private rally at a community arts center in central Georgia Thursday afternoon.

“We see the connection between that and who holds these powerful offices,” Harris said during her first stop in the state since hitting the campaign trail earlier this month. “This is the moment where we can do something.”

Former Vice President Kamala Harris rallies Democratic voters and volunteers at a private gathering in Macon, Georgia, on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026. (Anna Giaritelli/Washington Examiner)

Similar to former President Barack Obama’s remarks before thousands at a rally outside Atlanta Wednesday evening, Harris said life for people had grown more expensive in the 21 months Trump has been in office and that his behavior as a “tyrant” could only be checked by voters, although Trump himself is not on the ballot this election cycle.

“But the beauty of this moment, as the founders designed it, was that when we are faced with that kind of tyranny, there has to be a moment where we construct for the people’s power to kick in. That’s the moment we’re in. Election season is the moment for the people’s power to kick in to talk about what we built and will not put up with,” Harris said.

Harris’s visit to the red state was in support of Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), who is seeking a second term and is running against Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA). An average of recent polls compiled by RealClearPolitics shows Ossoff with a more than 8% lead over Collins, who is embroiled in a House ethics investigation over improper use of funds and links to white supremacists.

Harris laid out a detailed case for why Georgians should vote for Ossoff, but she notably skimped on praise for Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor running for governor against billionaire Republican Rick Jackson.

Bottoms was “so talented” and “knows how to fight on behalf of the people she cares” about, according to Harris.

Ossoff was all of those things and more, she said.

“One of the things I love about Jon is he has the ability to deconstruct and break down the things that seem like goodness, Lord, what is going on there, and he has a way of helping us understand what’s behind it all,” Harris said. “The way he has been lifting up and exposing the corruption of this most callous, corrupt, and incompetent presidential administration is extraordinary, and sending him back into Washington, D.C., is going to be about continuing to fight for the rights of the people and all that is good and right.”

Although Ossoff is heavily favored to win reelection, Bottoms is trailing Jackson slightly in the RealClearPolitics average of polls heading into Election Day.

Obama equally endorsed both candidates during his speech Wednesday, but he took a tougher approach on Trump than Harris did on Thursday.

Former President Barack Obama speaks to attendees at a campaign rally in the Atlanta metro region on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. (Anna Giaritelli/Washington Examiner)

OBAMA JABS TRUMP OVER WHITE HOUSE ‘ARTS AND CRAFTS’ AT CAMPAIGN RALLY IN GEORGIA

“He’s very focused on home renovations. Should have a show on HGTV. The guy is building a ballroom that is bigger than the White House,” Obama said about Trump. “There is gold everywhere. So much gold. … The president of the United States is spending time supergluing gold medallions to the mantle in the Oval Office. I am not making this up. He is literally doing arts and crafts while we are fighting a war.”

Harris is scheduled to canvas with volunteers in Atlanta Thursday afternoon.

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