Georgia voters weigh in on Biden's pick for his running mate
ATLANTA - Joe Biden's decision to tap Senator Kamala Harris as his vice presidential candidate is sitting rather well with many across the country, including the four Georgians FOX 5 News tapped to discuss her historic candidacy as an African-American woman born to a Jamaican father and an Indian mother in California.
"I can make a difference in a Biden-Harris presidency. My voice is heard in a Biden-Harris presidency," said Ecleynne, who is an attorney who teaches law school grads how to prep for the bar exam. The DeKalb County Democrat believes Harris solidifies Biden's ability to unseat President Donald Trump.
"I am going to look at her as a senator and as a senator, she showed leadership, positivity, fight, and gumption," the attorney said.
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Carmen is a public relations specialist and small business owner. The Hall County voter is impressed with Harris, but not sold just yet.
"Coming from immigrant parents, I was happy to see that we're having that sort of representation. I'm curious to see how she's going to deal with the issues of immigration reform. I'm curious to see how she is going to deal with pro-life issues.
Ashley is a paralegal who is very active with Georgia's Republican Party as a campaigner and volunteer.
"I think it's very significant to have a woman, particularly a woman in the minority category, to represent the whole country as vice president. But I do not think this particular woman is the best pick. I do think it's going to hurt Biden's campaign because she is quite far left. They claim to be for criminal justice reform, however, while as a prosecutor, she put at least 1,500 people in jail for marijuana while laughing about using marijuana herself," said the 25-year-old junior lobbyist.
"Time and again, you can easily find something wrong with everybody's politics. The question is how do they lead going forward?" said Marty, in response to Ashley's remarks.
Marty is the vice president of an IT consulting firm with a long career in senior health care issues. He mentors Black boys and young men and believes Harris helps Biden appeal to a broader scope of voters.
"At the end of the day, she's qualified. She's done the work you need to do to be qualified. I think Kamala is a good Ying to Joe's Yang if you would. I think there's some blind spots he has that she can cover and vice versa," said the DeKalb County voter.
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"I don't see Kamala Harris or Biden uniting the country. Her far-left ideology may work in California, but it doesn't work in the rest of the country. It leaves out the Midwest and the South," Ashley countered.
"Because I am a military mom and a wife, I am very concerned about what's going to happen to us strategically and in the globe.
I really want to see how she is going to interplay with that dynamic," Carmen added.
"Right now, the biggest issue we have is leadership as it relates to our country. Not just Democrats or Republicans, just leadership," said Marty.
"Nobody is going to be perfect. Democrat, Republican, nobody is going to be perfect," added Ecleynne.
All four voters said they will be paying close attention to what all of the candidates say in the months leading up to the November election.