President Donald Trump campaigned in north Georgia on Friday, using a midterm rally to promote Republican candidates while repeating discredited claims that the state’s 2020 election results were fraudulent and declaring that U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff was never legitimately elected.
Addressing a crowd gathered at the Dalton municipal airport, Trump attacked Ossoff, the Democratic incumbent who is defending his seat against Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins in the Nov. 3 election. Trump asserted that Ossoff failed to reflect the state’s values before telling the audience, “And he was never elected,” The Guardian reported.
Trump also spent time contrasting the two candidates’ appearances. As reported by Mediaite, the president derided Ossoff with derogatory nicknames, comparing him to “Pee-Wee Herman” and questioning his masculinity, while praising Collins as looking like “Central Casting” with a “big, strong build.” Collins joined Trump at the event alongside Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson.
Economic Pledges and Foreign Policy
Trump used the appearance to praise his administration’s record over the past two years, pointing to stock market figures and low unemployment, while highlighting newborn savings initiatives branded as “Trump accounts.” He reiterated a campaign pledge that U.S. citizens would receive a $5,000 federal check if Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives, The Guardian reported. Trump claimed that trillions of dollars in promised overseas manufacturing investments would cover the expenditure, though most of those commitments remain unfulfilled.
The president also defended his administration amid rising fuel prices tied to the conflict involving Iran, dismissing consumer worries about rising living expenses as opposition messaging. In discussing military operations, Trump described strikes against Iranian leadership and referenced the swift removal of the Venezuelan government, telling attendees that the action took only 48 hours, according to The Guardian. Turning to immigration, Trump insisted that no undocumented migrants had been admitted to the country over the last 17 months.
Midterm Stakes in Georgia
Trump traveled to the Peach State with former Georgia football star and NFL running back Todd Gurley, who accompanied him on Air Force One before arriving at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Fox News reported. The Dalton appearance marked Trump’s third trip to Georgia this year as Republicans attempt to rally their base before Election Day.
The airport event drew an estimated 1,200 people, with attendees waiting in the afternoon sun after Trump took the stage more than an hour behind schedule. During the rally, security personnel quickly removed two demonstrators who held up a sign opposing federal immigration enforcement, The Guardian reported.
Trump’s visit comes as Republicans work to overcome deficits in key statewide contests. Recent polling shows Ossoff holding an advantage of eight to 10 percentage points over Collins, according to Mediaite and The Guardian. In the governor’s race, an InsiderAdvantage survey cited by Mediaite showed Jackson holding a narrow lead of 49 percent to 47 percent over Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms. It remains to be seen whether high-profile appearances by the president can shift momentum in Georgia as early voting expands across the country.
