Consider This from NPR - Is Georgia ready to vote for a female president?

Episode Date: September 20, 2024

A few months ago, it was looking like Donald Trump had Georgia all but locked up.Now with Harris in the race, Georgia is once again in play for democrats. But the state has never elected a female Governor or a female U.S. senator. Will that fact determine who might win their 16 electoral votes?For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at [e-mail] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A few months ago, it was looking like Donald Trump had Georgia all but locked up. Then Joe Biden dropped out and Kamala Harris jumped in. And I am very clear, the path to the White House runs right through this state. And you all helped us win in 2020 and we're going to do it again in 2024. Today, Georgia is once again in play for Democrats. Consider this. Georgia has never elected a female governor. It's never elected a female U.S. senator either. Is Georgia ready to cast its 16 electoral votes for a woman for president. Coming up, we put that question to three women who have lived through a few election cycles here in Georgia.

From NPR, I'm Mary Louise Kelly. It's Consider This from NPR. It's a cool September morning in Atlanta, less than seven weeks from Election Day. And Kamala Harris's campaign is making a hard run at winning Georgia. The vice president is here on Friday talking about reproductive rights, an issue of particular importance to women voters, and one of the things we talked to three women about here in Atlanta. We asked them to meet us here. This is Peachtree Street, Midtown Atlanta. We are about to walk into Cafe Intermenso.

Inside, we grab a big table, order coffee, and sit down with Latrice Cushenberry, Eustacia McLeod-Carter, and Donna Smith-Aaronson. Three women from different backgrounds, different religions, different races. They range in age from their 50s to their 70s. What they have in common is they are all backing Kamala Harris for president. And fear not, we are talking with plenty of Trump supporters while we're here in Georgia too. But for now, I want you to hear why, why these women are all in for Harris. Latrice, you start. I think the primary reason why I'm supporting Kamala is she is the candidate that aligns most with my values. She is someone that I have seen repeatedly throughout my lifetime in my grandmother,

my mother, my aunts, capable, competent, African-American person that basically can get the job done with empathy and compassion. But you see women in your family and a similar person when you look at Kamala Harris? All I've seen is my historical reference. So it's, it aligns with what I know. And it aligns with my core values of integrity and character. Donna, you next. I'm a native Atlantan, and I have been here through many, many political cycles. I've seen Republicans at the top of the ticket,

and I've seen Democrats. We have had Democratic governors, but we've never had a woman. And when Kamala stepped up, it was like a lightning bolt. I listened to President Biden as he stepped back and turned the reins over to Kamala. And I said, this is it. This has got to be it. Eustacia, I'm saving you for last because I'm told you took a little bit of, it took you a little while to come around to Kamala Harris for president. Tell me why. Yes, it did. I was in Kumbaya and jumping up and screaming when Joe Biden stepped down because I was all in for Joe Biden. I didn't care if we had

to put him in a wheelchair, motorized, five oxygen tanks on his back. I was all in Joe Biden. So I had slight of a mourning period. It wasn't that I wasn't going to ever vote for Kamala. I knew I was going to vote for Kamala. I'm a staunch Democrat. I fall in line with the party. So she was going to get my vote. She's qualified. And not just because she's a woman. She's a qualified individual.

Her resume speaks for itself. And yes, she can be president. And we vote. We can put her in that office. A couple of you mentioned specifically, she's a woman. I look at strong women. I know I see her. It matters to you that this is a female candidate. It's interesting to me, and I'll put this one to you, Donna. Her campaign doesn't spend a lot of time talking about her gender or her race. They have not put that front and center. Do you think she should spend more time reminding people, talking about this is a historic candidacy, however it ends?

I really don't. I think that when she wins, and it's a when, not an if, she will be the president of all the people. And I think she has to appeal to all people, all genders, all religions. I think the stand on abortion and all of the things that matter to women specifically are strong issues that she backs. And that's not to say that men don't either. But it feels more personal when it comes from a woman and a strong woman. Yeah. The basic question, the U.S. has never elected a female president. The woman has never won the White House. Why do y'all think this time could be any different?

Like I said, if we all go out and vote, she can be the president. I think a lot of it has to do with that age-old fallacy about the way men view us. I did a canvas of my team of 50 barber and beauty shops. And that is the one thing I heard when I went in there, especially in the African American barber shops, I'm voting for Trump. And they like Donald Trump. He comes out with that machoism. So I think she can be, but we just have to find out what is at the core of why

men don't want to vote for her. In Georgia specifically, a state that, as I said at the outset, has never managed to elect a female governor or a woman to the U.S. Senate and has a history of suppressing black votes. Is Georgia ready to vote for Kamala Harris? I feel like it is. I think it's been an evolution. I think in our last election cycle, we elected two senators who are unique in their positions. Reverend Warnock and John Ossoff hold important positions in the Senate. That came from Georgia. Is it time for a woman? God, I hope so. Fingers crossed this will happen. Latrice? I think I have a different take, mainly because whether we want to believe it or not, there's a brand new demographic in this election. The young people who grew up during the age of school shootings.

Those children are exhausted. They went through COVID. When they went back to school school there were so many threats they're ready for change and I am ready for the change that they are ushering in thank you to all three of you thank you thank you you're welcome thank you we have been speaking with Donna Smith Aronson Latrice Cushenberry and Eustacia McLeod-Carter, three of the voters we're talking with here in Georgia as our We the Voters series continues. This episode was produced by Kira Joachim, Erica Ryan, and Alejandra Marquez-Hanse. It was edited by Courtney Dorning.

Our executive producer is Sammy Yinnigan. Thanks to our Consider This Plus supporters who make the journalism you hear on this show possible. Supporters also hear every episode without messages from sponsors. You can learn more at plus.npr.org. It's Consider This from NPR. I'm Mary Louise Kelly.