Could Joe Biden Win Georgia? Democratic Nominee Launches Ad Blitz In Southern Battleground State

Democratic nominee Joe Biden launched an ad blitz in Georgia on Monday, targeting African-American voters. The move comes as Biden appears to be in the hunt for what was once considered a safe Republican stronghold that has 16 electoral votes.

The Biden campaign has unveiled two new digital and broadcast ads in Georgia, set in a barbershop. The first ad, titled "Shop Talk: Criminal Justice Reform,” features Black men discussing the criminal justice system and how it impacts them and their families.

Another ad, “Yes She Can,” is a play on Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign chant. The men discuss California Sen. Kamala Harris' historic nomination as the first Black woman on a presidential ticket.

Biden will need high African-American turnout to win Georgia in the November election. As of the 2010 census, African-Americans made up 31.5% of the state’s population.

Donald Trump, a Republican, won Georgia in the 2016 race against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, 50.4% to 45.3%. Yet, there are positive signs for Democrats in the state, as Atlanta’s suburbs have become increasingly Democratic.

Democrats are also coming off strong gains from the 2018 midterm elections. Republican Brian Kemp narrowly held off Democrat Stacey Abrams in the gubernatorial election that year, 50.2% to 48.8%.

There is still an uphill battle for Biden. The last time Georgia voted for a Democrat was in 1992, when Bill Clinton carried the state with 43.47% of the vote.

A recent Redfield & Wilton Strategies survey shows Trump leading Biden in Georgia by 1 point, 46% to 45%, but a HarrisX survey shows Biden leading Trump, 52%-46%.

According to opinion poll analytics site FiveThirtyEight, Trump is slightly favored to win Georgia.