OnPolitics: Trump and Biden’s debate is in Atlanta, Georgia. Here’s why that matters

Hey OnPolitics readers! After it appeared voters wouldn’t get the chance to see the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates square off this year, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed to two debates last week.

The first debate will take place June 27 in Atlanta − welcome news for the city, which was one of three finalists bidding to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention, USA TODAY’s Melissa Cruz reported. It ultimately lost out to Chicago, but it wasn’t because of the lack of political drama in Georgia.

The debate’s location has history for Trump and will likely give him and Biden plenty to spar over.

❓What is Trump’s history with Fulton County, Georgia? The debate will be held at CNN’s studios, nestled in the center of Fulton County, which overlaps with Atlanta. The studios are less than a mile from the State Farm Arena, which served as a ballot processing site during the 2020 election. State Farm Arena quickly became the subject of conspiracy theories about illicit votes spread by Trump and his associates on social media in the hours following the election. 

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

🏢Fulton County courthouse: After an investigation by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, Trump became the first former president to be indicted on felony charges in Georgia. He and 18 allies were charged with trying to interfere with the 2020 presidential election in Georgia after pressuring state officials to overturn the results.

🎯Georgia’s potential as a swing state: Biden was certified as the first Democrat to win Georgia in almost three decades, defeating Trump by nearly 12,000 votes. Georgia will remain a crucial swing state for the candidates in the 2024 election. Both Trump and Biden have made multiple stops in the Peach State during their reelection campaigns, showing how vital these votes are to the candidates.

Read more: The June 27 Biden-Trump debate will be in Atlanta, a city rich with political drama

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