Atlanta takes the stage in tonight's presidential debate

As President Biden and former President Donald Trump take the stage inside CNN's historic Techwood campus studio Thursday night, the Peach State will also be in the spotlight. 

"The stakes are very high," said Rep. Hank Johnson, a Democrat who represents the eastern Atlanta metro and suburbs. "And so to have this debate in Atlanta will help drive turnout for this very crucial and extremely high-stakes election." 

Georgia has become a critical battleground. With 16 electoral votes, the state's explosive growth has drawn an increasingly diverse population with expanding Black, Latino and Asian American electorates.