Harris Atlanta rally will test her momentum on the ground in a key swing state

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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a campaign event in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on July 27, 2024. Stephanie Scarbrough | Via Reuters A major campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential run could draw a crowd of more than 10,000 people Tuesday night in Atlanta, stretching the limits of the Georgia State University venue and marking the largest event of the Biden-turned-Harris campaign this cycle. Long before the rally was slated to begin Tuesday, the event with rapper Megan Thee Stallion had received 19,000 RSVPs, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, chair of the Democratic party of Georgia, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Greg Bluestein. Four hours before the expected start of Harris' 7:00 p.m. ET speech, the line for entry stretched far down the city block outside the university's Convocation Center, which has an official capacity of more than 7,500. In a display of Harris' bipartisan appeal, former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a Republican, is expected to attend. Georgia Democratic lawmakers such as Williams and U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock will also be there, along with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. In the week since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race against former President Donald Trump, Harris has enjoyed a surge of grassroots momentum and high-dollar donations. The wave of support potentially puts swing states such as Georgia back on the map for Democrats, after months of slipping support with Biden helming the ticket. "You've heard us talk about the need to have the infrastructure across all the battlegrounds to win close elections, but it's clear the Vice President is energizing and mobilizing our base," Harris campaign battleground director Dan Kanninen said Monday on a call with reporters. Once a deep red stronghold, Georgia has been in play for Democrats over the past few election cycles due to growing populations of Black and Latino voters that make up a major part of the party's base. Megan Thee Stallion performs during the Times Square New Year's Eve 2024 Celebration in New York City on Dec. 31, 2023. Noam Galai | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images