which could tip the balance. one of those is georgia — the so—called peach state. early voting has begun there today. in 2020 — after recounts — the state went tojoe biden, by the tiniest of margins — just 12 thousand votes. you may remember this mugshot: donald trump — along with 18 others — is accused of criminally conspiring to overturn his defeat back then — the former president has pleaded not guilty. let's hear what some georgia residents had to say as they voted. i just started law school, actually, down in florida, so ijust really wanted to get it out while i was home and get it done, because being so young and especially with the recent economic crisis, ijust really want to make sure my vote counts. january 6th was a defining

moment for me. and i think that we have two separate the practical policies that help people from the political policies that divide us. i think this is probably- the most important voting season of our lifetime. i think it's imperative that every single person vote i to help save democracy. so which way could things go this year? let's go straight to bill nigut, a journalist for the atlanta journal—constitution and co—host of the politically georgia podcast. welcome to the programme. i was in georgia in the summer that i was at a rally at, harris. it did feel like it really is a toss—up state as you say in america. where do you see things at the moment? well, all the polling _ things at the moment? well, all the polling that _ things at the moment? well, all the polling that we've _ things at the moment? well, all the polling that we've done - things at the moment? well, all the polling that we've done at i the polling that we've done at the polling that we've done at the atlanta journal—constitution in recent months has shown the race within a margin of error, trump and harris separated by a couple of points. right now, it

looks like it is a dead heat here. i think the headline todayis here. i think the headline today is there is such extraordinary pent up passion, i think that's a fair word to use here in georgia that on this first day of early voting, they've already set a record for the number of early votes. mid afternoon here, which is just a couple of hours ago, 204,000 people had already cast ballots on the first day of three weeks of early voting and there are still 14 days to go and an evening here in georgia for more people to cast ballots after they leave work. {iii after they leave work. of course. _ after they leave work. of course, georgia was so crucial, as we mentioned, in the introduction and the 20/20 race and it came down to come as we said, some 12,000 votes. it sounds like it could be close this time around. i sounds like it could be close this time around.— this time around. i do think this time around. i do think this is an — this time around. i do think this is an election - this time around. i do think this is an election that's - this time around. i do think this is an election that's on | this is an election that's on the margins. it will be determined obviously as all elections are by turn out. and the question will be who has the question will be who has the better turn out organisation? the harris

campaign has a big staff across the state, well over 200 people knocking on doors trying to get people to turn out as they can. the trump organisation is relying on outside organisations, they don't have enough staff here. one ace in the hole, governor brian kemp, a republican, the most popular elected official in georgia is turning out his machinery on behalf of donald trump. i will brina u- behalf of donald trump. i will bring up that. _ behalf of donald trump. i will bring up that, because - behalf of donald trump. i will bring up that, because the i bring up that, because the governor did have a bit of a spat with donald trump, didn't he? i spat with donald trump, didn't he? ~ . , spat with donald trump, didn't he? ~' . , ., spat with donald trump, didn't he? "., , ., . he? i think a bit of a spat... a bit of— he? i think a bit of a spat... a bit of an _ he? i think a bit of a spat... a bit of an understatement, isn't it? i a bit of an understatement, isn't it? ~ �* , ., isn't it? i think it's safe to say that — isn't it? i think it's safe to say that they _ isn't it? i think it's safe to say that they really - isn't it? i think it's safe to say that they really don't | isn't it? i think it's safe to i say that they really don't like each other very much. they have buried the hatchet in order for kemp to help trump when the white house. it is in kemp's interest to have or a publican interest to have or a publican in the white house. we never know how long the peace between them will last. sham know how long the peace between them will last.— them will last. am i right in sa in: them will last. am i right in saying that _ them will last. am i right in saying that at _ them will last. am i right in saying that at one - them will last. am i right in saying that at one point - them will last. am i right in saying that at one point he | them will last. am i right in i saying that at one point he did come out for harris? eat; saying that at one point he did come out for harris? say again that. come out for harris? say again that- was _

come out for harris? say again that. was there _ come out for harris? say again that. was there a _ come out for harris? say again that. was there a point - come out for harris? say again that. was there a point where l that. was there a point where governor _ that. was there a point where governor kemp _ that. was there a point where governor kemp did _ that. was there a point where governor kemp did come - that. was there a point where governor kemp did come out| that. was there a point where i governor kemp did come out for harris? ., ,., ., , ., harris? no, governor kemp would never sunport _ harris? no, governor kemp would never sunport a — harris? no, governor kemp would never support a democrat. - harris? no, governor kemp would never support a democrat. 's - never support a democrat. 's are massive spat with donald trump at has buried the hatchet and is now out, mobilising people on the ground. just briefly before we bring the panel in. what do you think could be the deciding issues on the ground in georgia? are they the ground in georgia? are they the same as the economy, for example, being the number one concern? ,., example, being the number one concern? , ., , ., concern? our polling shows that the economy — concern? our polling shows that the economy continues - concern? our polling shows that the economy continues to - concern? our polling shows that the economy continues to be i concern? our polling shows that| the economy continues to be the top issue on voters in the minds and that donald trump here in georgia, as in any number of other states has the advantage on the economy, but, of course, democrats are hoping, hoping, because georgia has one of the strictest abortion laws in the country, democrats are hoping that they can motivate their voters to turn out in support of the efforts democrats will make to reverse roe v wade, at least

here in the state of georgia, new laws that will protect a woman's right to choose. interesting. abortion could of course be a key issue. i was referring to the georgia lieutenant governor, jeff duncan, i think, lieutenant governor, jeff duncan, ithink, who lieutenant governor, jeff duncan, i think, who has come out for harris. is that right? that's exactly right. i out for harris. is that right? that's exactly right.- out for harris. is that right? that's exactly right. i got my governors — that's exactly right. i got my governors confused. - that's exactly right. i got my governors confused. right, | governors confused. right, let's bring the panel in. doug, i'm going to bring you in. we heard there about the republican operation on the ground. do you think republicans can take georgia this time?— republicans can take georgia this time? ., , , .., this time? certainly they can. and if i were _ this time? certainly they can. and if i were betting - this time? certainly they can. and if i were betting on - this time? certainly they can. and if i were betting on it, i l and if i were betting on it, i don't know that i would bet a tonne, but i would bet on donald trump to win georgia. i'm from north carolina. very close to georgia. and what we are starting to see, we haven't done early voting yet, but we know that it looks like we are going to get at least 60% of people voting early in this election. i saw a poll that was unreleased at this point that if donald trump is up by less than one point, so we have races that are within the margin of error. north carolina

is going to be very close. georgia is going to be very close. and it's why shorthand for i don't know what's going to happen is when somebody in politics or the media says it's all going to come out to turn out. that is true, it also means it's very hard to predict. means it's very hard to predict-— means it's very hard to redict. . , ., _ predict. on that, when you say turnout, predict. on that, when you say turnout. are — predict. on that, when you say turnout, are there _ predict. on that, when you say turnout, are there certain - turnout, are there certain demographics. we've been hearing a lot about black and latino men in the last couple of weeks in which they way —— which way they might go. are there certain demographics in georgia, for example, might make up those 12,000, 10,000 votes, which could call the state. ., . , votes, which could call the state. ., ., , , state. for donald trump, he is certainly betting _ state. for donald trump, he is certainly betting that - state. for donald trump, he is certainly betting that he - state. for donald trump, he is certainly betting that he is - certainly betting that he is going to do better with african—american males than he did last time, and that could equal 12,000 votes. we will see. there's an effort for trump to attract more hispanic males. one thing that has surprised me this campaign has been a lack of spending and hispanic media by both republicans and democrats. it seems a real missed opportunity given how close this election is and what a fast growing population that is. i’m

is and what a fast growing population that is. i'm going to brina population that is. i'm going to bring you _ population that is. i'm going to bring you on _ population that is. i'm going to bring you on this, - population that is. i'm going| to bring you on this, andrew. i'm sure you like a lot of people are watching development �*s in the united states very closely, three weeks out. it is all about these key swing states. georgia being one of them. it states. georgia being one of them. , . ~ states. georgia being one of them. , . ,, ., them. it is much like our electoral— them. it is much like our electoral system - them. it is much like our electoral system in - them. it is much like our electoral system in the l them. it is much like our. electoral system in the uk. them. it is much like our- electoral system in the uk. a lot of— electoral system in the uk. a lot of safe seats that they don't _ lot of safe seats that they don't put a lot of resource into — don't put a lot of resource into and _ don't put a lot of resource into and these target seats in the uk, — into and these target seats in the uk, that's much smaller seats— the uk, that's much smaller seats in— the uk, that's much smaller seats in constituency wide races _ seats in constituency wide races. it's clearly going to be very— races. it's clearly going to be very close. there is a pull out just— very close. there is a pull out just today, the electoral couege just today, the electoral college protected the 217 four, harrison — college protected the 217 four, harrison 268 for donald trump. the razor— harrison 268 for donald trump. the razor thin. one state going either— the razor thin. one state going either way— the razor thin. one state going either way against that changes it completely. it is interesting to me as an outsider to hear people talk about— outsider to hear people talk about the economy because compared with the other g—7 economies, actually the us has been _ economies, actually the us has been the — economies, actually the us has been the strongest economy in the g7 — been the strongest economy in the g7 over the last four years _ the g7 over the last four years. but, of course, there

has— years. but, of course, there has been _ years. but, of course, there has been inflation, there's been — has been inflation, there's been shocks we've all felt worldwide coming out of the pandemic due to the war in ukraine— pandemic due to the war in ukraine and so on. and that's obviously— ukraine and so on. and that's obviously having an impact. and people _ obviously having an impact. and people have felt that in their pocket — people have felt that in their pocket with inflation that is affecting the usjust pocket with inflation that is affecting the us just as pocket with inflation that is affecting the usjust as it has the uk — affecting the usjust as it has the uk as well. it's a difficult time for incumbents. ithink— difficult time for incumbents. i think doug mentioned earlier, of course” _ i think doug mentioned earlier, of course,, harris has got this tension — of course,, harris has got this tension about how much she distances herself from joe biden— distances herself from joe biden as well at the moment in order_ biden as well at the moment in order to — biden as well at the moment in order to try and appeal to different parts of her own potential electoral coalition as welt _ potential electoral coalition as well. so a really interesting dynamic going on from — interesting dynamic going on from an— interesting dynamic going on from an outsider view. indeed. bill, i want _ from an outsider view. indeed. bill, i want to _ from an outsider view. indeed. bill, i want to ask _ from an outsider view. indeed. bill, i want to ask you - from an outsider view. indeed. bill, i want to ask you a - bill, i want to ask you a question as well. a lot of discussion about what interviews, let harris does or doesn't give and she is sitting down and speaking to more news networks and on wednesday, she is going to be speaking to fox news. do you think people where you are in a southern state like georgia pay attention to what network she has or hasn't spoken to? do they register

with that? or is it about the ground game? is it about how many rallies she goes to, how many rallies she goes to, how many hands she shakes and the same, of course for donald trump. same, of course for donald trum -. �* , ., same, of course for donald trum. h . ., , trump. it's true that, harris has been — trump. it's true that, harris has been here _ trump. it's true that, harris has been here many - trump. it's true that, harris has been here many times, | trump. it's true that, harris - has been here many times, you are at a, harris rail yourself, you said, trump is here for two big events in georgia on this first day of early voting. but i think the only thing that matters in terms of interviews is what are you watching when she does an interview? if you are fox news we were, you will certainly be watching the conley harris interview and it is likely that although she may be able to persuade a very tiny number of fox news viewers, that fox viewers aren't going to be satisfied no matter how well she does in that interview, i suspect. well she does in that interview, isuspect. she well she does in that interview, i suspect. she has always, as i think you all know, strugglejust a bit always, as i think you all know, struggle just a bit at times with how she deals with interviews where she hasn't prepared particularly well and the trump campaign has hit her on any number of occasions where they think she has made

missteps. where they think she has made misste s. , where they think she has made misst