Atlanta Events category interest

Famous Georgia natives — actress Julia Roberts and R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe — accompanied second gentleman Doug Emhoff at events in metro Atlanta and Athens, Ga., on Thursday, wrapping up two days of campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris in the state.

Roberts attended a string of Harris campaign events in metro Atlanta on Wednesday and Thursday. The Oscar winner from Smyrna, Ga., tagged along with Stacey Abrams on Wednesday at a reproductive rights rally in Cherokee County and a field office opening in Cobb County. She also met with volunteers in Decatur alongside Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Emhoff and Roberts rallied voters Thursday at an event in Atlanta aimed at engaging LGBT voters ahead of Atlanta Pride this weekend.

"I'm just here to spread a little bit of love and a little bit of rah-rah, and a little bit of 'talk to your friends, talk to your neighbors, and talk to the people who don't believe what you believe' and gently lure them," Roberts joked at the event.

Emhoff spoke about Harris’ record on LGBT rights and urged Georgians to vote.

“If Georgia shows up and comes out like it did in 2020 for President Biden, like it did for Sen. Warnock — You can see what a difference Georgia made last time, not only who became president, but who was in the United States Senate," he said. "So it's close."

Other campaigns are holding pride events as well. Former President Donald Trump's campaign is partnering with the Log Cabin Republicans for a phone banking event and Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver will march in the Atlanta Pride Parade.

Thursday evening, Emhoff appeared at a campaign stop in Athens, where R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe performed with David Barbe and Andy LeMaster, playing a set of songs including the rare "Wendell Gee," written by R.E.M. in Athens in 1985. Mayor Kelly Girtz was in attendance, and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough was reportedly on site, as well.

Campaign events for both Harris and Trump are ramping up in the final weeks before the election, with the former president scheduled to visit Georgia for a National Rifle Association event in Atlanta on Oct. 22 and a Turning Point rally in Duluth, Ga., on Oct. 23. Harris will campaign in the Carolinas this weekend, while former President Bill Clinton comes to Georgia Sunday to campaign for her.