In the closing days of his presidential campaign, Joe Biden swung through Georgia, making the case that the government can be a force for good — ultimately becoming the first Democratic presidential contender to carry the state since Bill Clinton in 1992.

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden traveled to Georgia on Thursday to drum up support for his American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan 

  • Thursday, April 29 marked 100 days since Biden was inaugurated; the president also touted his administration's achievements in his address

  • The president’s two newest proposals would total $4 trillion in spending, covering wide-ranging issues that span from traditional infrastructure fortification to childcare 

  • Biden is also scheduled to travel to Pennsylvania and Virginia in the days ahead to promote his spending plan

100 days after taking office, Biden returned to the state to both tout his administration’s achievements, and to sell voters on his ambitious vision to fund the government and expand its role in Americans’ every-day life. 

“I want to thank the American people because I think we have gotten a lot done,” Biden said during a drive-in car rally in Duluth on Thursday. 

"I'm especially excited to be back in the state that sent Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff to the Senate!” Biden continued, adding: “You know Georgia, we could not have passed the American Rescue Plan without you."

Early on in his address, the president was interrupted by hecklers repeatedly shouting, “End detention now!” 

After pausing to listen for a moment, Biden responded: “I’m working on it, I agree with you. Give me another five days.”

"Private detention centers should not exist and we are working to close all of them,” he added. 

The president’s two newest proposals — the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan — would total $4 trillion in spending, covering wide-ranging issues that span from traditional infrastructure fortification to free childcare. 

On the education front, Biden’s plan calls for $200 billion toward free “universal, high quality preschool” for all three- and four-year-olds and $109 billion for two years of free community college, as well as billions in investments toward Pell Grants for low-income students, college retention and completion rates, and make an investment in HBCUs, TCUs and MSIs.

“You got some great historically black universities in Georgia,” the president said Thursday. “We are going to be investing in them by increasing Pell Grants. They do not have the money that comes in these large universities. But their students are as competent to do anything in the future as anyone else.”

Part of Biden’s plan to pay for the two plans is a number of tax hikes, and he reiterated during his address: "It's about time the very wealthy and corporations start paying their fair share.” 

It’s no accident Biden chose Gwinnett County to serve as the backdrop to begin making his case for his spending plan: A fast-growing suburban Atlanta county northeast of downtown, Gwinnett has become a source of Democratic support in the state.

Gwinnett stands out for its racial and ethnic diversity, with fast-growing Asian American and Hispanic populations and a thriving business community of immigrants and first-generation citizens. The county anchors Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, which freshman Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux flipped in 2020 to give Democrats control of both suburban House districts along metro Atlanta’s northern ring.

Biden is also scheduled to travel to Pennsylvania and Virginia in the days ahead to promote his spending plan.

Before ending his address, Biden invited recently-elected Democratic Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff to the stage, thanking voters for flipping both the state and control of the Senate: “If you ever wonder if elections make a difference, just remember what you did here in Georgia.”