Obama heads to Georgia, Trump to Ohio as early vote data shows Black turnout surge
The former president and current president will campaign in separate Southern and Midwest states today, one week before the midterms, as new data reveals a spike in participation among Black voters in the South.
By Fatou Mitchell ·
Former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump will split up to campaign in Georgia and Ohio, respectively, on Wednesday.
The two longtime rivals are hitting the road less than a week before Election Day. Obama will join Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms in the Peach State. Trump will rally for Republican Senator Jon Husted in Chillicothe, Ohio.
New early voting data from Catalist shows a sharp increase in Black voter participation in three key Southern states. In Georgia, Black voters make up 36% of the early electorate, up from 29% at the same point in 2024. Louisiana has seen a similar jump, with Black voters at 34% of the total, up from 25%. North Carolina’s share has risen from 19% to 23%.
The data also indicates higher turnout among voters who skipped the 2022 and 2024 elections. In Georgia, 6% of early voters participated in neither of those previous cycles, and 13% voted in only one. Among those less frequent voters, Black participation is notably higher than among frequent voters. In Louisiana, Black voters comprise 43% of the group that participated in only one of the last two elections.
Obama will use his Georgia appearance to push for higher Democratic turnout. Trump, meanwhile, is focused on Ohio, a state he won in 2024 that may shift to purple status. Senator Husted told reporters he was working out in the weight room ahead of the visit, a routine the president has praised at past events. Trump is also scheduled to visit South Carolina on Thursday to support Senator Darline Graham.
The campaign trail activity comes as the cost of the war with Iran has risen to $47.1 billion as of October 16, according to a Pentagon report. The war has added about $2,000 in costs for the average American household, per Moody’s Analytics. Trump addressed the issue at a rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Tuesday, claiming the United States is making a fortune off the conflict.
Ad spending for this midterm cycle has reached $11.21 billion, setting a new record according to AdImpact. Twenty-one races have shifted in favor of Democrats, per Sabato’s Crystal Ball. The New Hampshire Senate debate between Chris Pappas and John Sununu is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET tonight.
