Donald Trump went to Georgia on Wednesday to attend a fundraising luncheon. Along the way to the event in Atlanta, he stopped at a Chick-fil-A, to the delight of the patrons inside.
Trump ordered 30 milkshakes and chicken. He said he'd pick up the tab for the customers there. One young woman told Trump that despite what the media says, black Americans support him. She got a hug from the former president.
President Trump treated like a returning hero during a stop at a Chick-fil-A in Atlanta:
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 10, 2024
“I don’t care what the media tells you, Mr. Trump, we support you!” pic.twitter.com/RKcypbMSbI
Trump reminded the patrons that he took care of HBCUs by making their funding permanent. Funding had to be regularly renewed before Trump's reform of that process.
HBCU students with Trump at a Chick-fil-A in Atlanta.
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) April 10, 2024
Trump: "We took care of those colleges...Come here, let me give you a hug ...We took care of the Black colleges and universities. They're taken care of now. She understands that. Biden did nothing for them. I did everything." pic.twitter.com/5Lfn1kSyzf
When Trump makes these fast food stops and goes in to mingle with customers, it is campaign video gold. He talks to everyone and poses for photos. He goes into crowded spots, unlike Biden who wanders into a coffee shop with a few customers and marvels that smoothies cost $7. Trump made a little joke - he referred to the Chick-fil-A chicken as "the Lord's chicken." Heh. Trump said that Chick-fil-A was a "great American franchise."
"It is. It’s a great franchise. The owner is a great man who is a member of one of my clubs, and he’s fantastic," Trump said. "They do very well, and they’re closed on Sunday."
The videographer then jokingly said, "It’s the Lord’s chicken," and Trump agreed.
"It’s the Lord’s chicken, you’re right," he said. "It’s good chicken, too."
Trump was expected to take in $15M Wednesday. The campaign had two fundraisers - the first one in Atlanta and the second one later in the evening in Orlando, Florida.
Georgia is an important battleground state, with both parties putting energy into courting voters there. Georgia has 16 electoral votes. Biden barely won the state in 2020. Now Trump is up in Georgia by 3.8%, according to Real Clear Politics aggregated polling numbers.
The two Republican senators who lost their elections in 2020, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, attended Trump's event and are working to get Trump elected. Tickets to the event were reported to cost $6,600 per couple and up to $250,000 to join the host committee.
Republican mega-donors Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus and beer, wine, and spirits magnate Don Leebern III were expected to attend, too.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones was there. What was notable though was the absence of other top Republican officials. Most are reluctantly supporting Trump or remaining neutral. Governor Brian Kemp has not attended a Trump event since Trump blamed him for his 2020 loss in the state and tried to cause Kemp to lose re-election. Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger have also steered clear. Raffensperger was courted by third-party groups to run in the general election in November against Trump and Biden but took a pass on that idea.
“I’m glad to be hosting the event,” said Jones, one of a handful of deep-pocketed Republicans listed as one of the fundraiser’s hosts. “I’m proud to support President Trump and will do whatever I can to get him elected and help turn this country around.”
The fundraiser put a spotlight on politicians who are competing for Trump's favor if he wins in November. Loeffler was a co-host, as was Jones. They may compete in 2026 to succeed Kemp as governor. Perdue may become a member of the cabinet in a second Trump term.
A Georgia Republican strategist noted that old-school Republicans are running the state but Georgia is solidly MAGA territory.
“Georgia is an anomaly because almost anywhere else the Republican infrastructure is Trump-led and MAGA-ified. But in Georgia you have an old guard Republican establishment that still runs the state, many of whom survived Trump’s opposition,” said GOP strategist Brian Robinson, who is adept at translating the former president’s populist mantra to a mainstream audience.
“It creates this odd construct where the top Republicans in the state aren’t on the host committees for events like this,” Robinson said, adding they are still “team players” who will pull behind Trump in November.
For example, Governor Kemp said during the primary process that while he is no fan of Trump, he will support the Republican nominee. His wife, Marty, is one of his closest advisers. She recently caused eyebrows to rise when she said Trump has not earned her support, at least not yet. “We’ve got a long way going. I would probably write Brian Kemp's name in. He’d make a darn good president, in my opinion,” she said, adding: “We’ve got a lot that will happen. Six to eight months is a lifetime in politics.”
2028, anyone? Let's get through November first, shall we?
Raffensperger remains neutral but Carr and Insurance Commissioner John King, who defeated Trump-endorsed challengers in 2022 as Kemp did, endorsed Trump when he sealed up the nomination.
Trump told a local talk radio show that he hopes Kemp will join in campaigning together with him in Georgia. He pointed to an endorsement he gave to Kemp in the 2018 election. The 2018 was a heated election against Democrat Stacey Abrams, who refused to concede when she lost.
“I think it’s important that we do because I think it’s important for both of us. I think it’s very important that Republicans win this upcoming election,” Trump said.
“I helped him get elected. He knows that. I very much helped him,” the former president added, referring to his 2018 endorsement of Kemp. “I think he respects that. And I hope that we’re going to be able to get along.”
I wouldn't look for Kemp on the campaign trail with Trump but he won't do anything to hurt Trump. Kemp understands the fight against Democrats and especially the Biden administration. Plus, he has his eye on a presidential run in 2028. Politicians are gonna politician.
Wednesday was a good day for Trump. I hope he continues doing the man-of-the-people type of stops on the campaign trail. Fast-food restaurants are the kind of places that are relatable to everyone. It's a natural fit for Trump. His love of McDonald's and other fast food is well documented. Trump's stops don't seem like phony election-year visits to troll for votes like when Biden makes a stop in a random shop.
