Thursday night, presidential candidate Joe Biden took the lead in Georgia. Clayton County, formerly represented by late civil rights leader John Lewis, is credited for the swell in votes towards Biden’s campaign.
What We Know:
- Lewis served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia’s 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in July, earlier this year. Both Republicans and Democrats showed esteem for his efforts throughout the civil rights movement. He was one of the leaders alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in the activist group, the “Big Six,” who played key roles in the March on Washington in 1963.
- Trump was harshly condemned for his refusal to provide Lewis with any words of praise following his passing. When asked how history would remember Lewis’ role in the civil rights movement, Trump responded, “..I really don’t know. I never met John Lewis; I don’t believe.” He recalled that Lewis chose not to attend his inauguration but admitted that it was his right not to go. He made claims he has done more for Black Americans than anyone and believed Lewis’ absence from his State of Union speeches was “a big mistake.”
- Lewis was not afraid to voice his opinion about Trump labeling him as an illegitimate president. Trump retaliated by tweeting that the Congressman should spend more time fixing and helping his horribly shaped district that was falling apart. Early morning Friday Biden’s votes surpassed Trump’s in three counties within that said district: Clayton, Dekalb, and Fulton.
- Lewis did not attend George W. Bush’s inauguration, yet the previous president still chose to speak at his funeral. Former U.S. presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton paid their respects and read eulogies for the late Congressman as well. Trump did not attend Lewis’ memorial service or pay his respects when his casket was laid in state in Capitol Hill.
Many felt the overnight surge in votes for Biden from Lewis’ district was quite poetic. Andrew Weinstein, the chair of the Democratic Lawyers Council, said, ” I only wish that John Lewis was able to see this moment,” and Democratic Representative Ted Lieu tweeted, “John Lewis is smiling.”
