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Jimmy Carter’s century: A spirit of community softens Georgia’s political rifts

The porch where former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has spent countless holidays and family milestones here in southwest Georgia is wrapped with wisteria boughs that shade a “Welcome to Our Porch” sign.

Next door, a former boarding house where the Democratic president’s parents lived as a young couple a century ago also has a porch where visitors can sit for a spell.

Why We Wrote This

Plains is a politically divided town in the battleground state of Georgia. But the ethos of a peacemaker president is tangible on front porches here.

The fact that one yard has a “Harris-Walz” sign and the next one a “MAGA 2024” sign captures the current American political zeitgeist. In 2020, some 52% of Sumter County voters chose Democrat Joe Biden; 47% wanted to reelect Republican President Donald Trump. As Mr. Carter became a global icon, his home state became a battleground.

But step onto either porch, and the spirit of “Uncle Jimmy” as diplomat and peacemaker presides.

As the former president marks his centennial at his low white rambler nearby, citizens in his hometown of Plains gathered on Saturday for the annual peanut festival – one of several events to celebrate the only U.S. president to reach the 100-year milestone. 

“He is a blessing for this town, this state, and this whole world,” says Lisa Ragusa, whose house has the pro-Trump sign. “He showed us that humanitarianism is important.”  

The porch where former President Jimmy Carter has spent countless holidays and family milestones here in Southwest Georgia is wrapped with wisteria boughs that shade a “Welcome to Our Porch” sign.

Next door, a former boarding house where the iconic Democratic president’s parents lived as a young couple a century ago also has a porch where visitors can sit for a spell.

The fact that one yard has “Harris-Walz” signs and the next one over has a “MAGA 2024” sign captures the current American political zeitgeist. In 2020, 52% of Sumter County voters chose Democrat Joe Biden; 47% wanted to reelect Republican President Donald Trump. As Mr. Carter became a global icon, his home state became a battleground.

Why We Wrote This

Plains is a politically divided town in the battleground state of Georgia. But the ethos of a peacemaker president is tangible on front porches here.

But step onto either porch, and the spirit of “Uncle Jimmy” as diplomat and peacemaker still presides.

“He is a blessing for this town, this state, and this whole world,” says Lisa Ragusa, who owns the house with the pro-Trump sign. “He showed us that humanitarianism is important.”  

As Jimmy Carter prepares to celebrate his centennial at his low, white rambler nearby, citizens in his hometown of Plains gathered on Saturday for the annual peanut festival – one of several events to honor the only U.S. president ever to reach the 100-year milestone. 

Mike Stewart/AP

A float moves down Main Street during the 26th annual Plains Peanut Festival, ahead of former President Jimmy Carter’s Oct. 1 centennial birthday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Plains, Georgia. Mr. Carter didn’t attend the festival this year.

The former president, a Navy veteran who opposed racial segregation and pursued a national energy policy and disarmament, has been living quietly at home for more than a year.

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