As former President Jimmy Carter edges closer to his 100th birthday, he has told his son that he's looking forward to voting for Kamala Harris.
When his son Chip asked him earlier this week if he was excited to hit the century mark on Oct. 1, he responded: "I'm only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris," Carter's grandson Jason told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Jason Carter, a former Democratic gubernatorial nominee, said his grandfather has been "more alert and interested in politics and the war in Gaza" in recent days.
Carter voted in the Georgia primary in May, according to family.
"He's not going to miss an election," said Jason Carter. "It's important to him. I mean, that's the person he is."
The Harris campaign hailed the news about the Carter vote. "Let's go!" said a tweeted message, and noted that no living Republican president — currently George W. Bush — has ever voted for Trump.
Carter's milestone birthday will be marked with celebrations, including a concert at the Fox Theatre Sept. 17 to raise funds for the Carter Center. The Atlanta-based nonprofit center was established to promote human rights, advance democracy and eradicate diseases.
As former President Jimmy Carter nears his 100th birthday, his milestone celebration isn’t on his mind.
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) August 3, 2024
Defeating Donald Trump is.
“I’m only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris,” Carter told his son Chip this week. https://t.co/AZ9JxXssZD
Georgia's three-week early voting period for the presidential election begins Oct. 15.
Carter has been receiving hospice care for more than a year. He was diagnosed nine years ago with cancer that had spread to his brain.
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter died last year.
