Georgia governor’s race in dead heat as high-stakes town hall debate nears | On the Record

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — With less than 50 days until the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm elections and early voting rapidly approaching, Georgia’s marquee political races are entering the decisive home stretch.

A new Rasmussen poll shows an extremely tight contest in the Georgia governor’s race. Republican nominee Rick Jackson leads Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms 48% to 45%, with 7% of voters still undecided. Factoring in the poll’s margin of error and the critical block of uncommitted voters, the matchup is effectively a dead heat.

High-stakes town hall debate set for Oct. 6

The undecided 7% could hold the ultimate balance of power, making the candidates’ public appearances pivotal.

Voters will get their only chance to see both gubernatorial candidates appear side-by-side on a debate stage during a live, prime-time gubernatorial town hall hosted by Atlanta News First on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.

Unlike traditional debate formats featuring candidate cross-examination, the town hall is designed to put vetted, undecided Georgia voters at the center of the broadcast, allowing them to ask direct questions on the issues driving their decisions. The debate will air across Gray Media television stations throughout Georgia and stream free on ANF+.

Airwave dominance vs. direct attacks

The tight poll numbers arrive amid historic campaign spending.

Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive largely self-funding his run, is on pace to spend nearly $200 million across the cycle. He launched a roughly $90 million broadcast ad blitz over the summer, flooding Georgia households during major sporting events and daily programming to secure widespread name recognition.

In response, Bottoms launched her first direct-to-camera attack ad of the cycle, which will air across all six Georgia television markets. The spot targets Jackson’s background as a healthcare staffing executive, alleging he profited from a flawed system.

While outside groups and PACs have amplified Bottoms’ platform, Jackson’s personal financial resources continue to hold a significant advertising volume advantage.

Emerging issues: the rise of data centers

Beyond traditional debate over healthcare, affordability, and education, the rapid expansion of industrial data centers has unexpectedly emerged as a key campaign issue.

Recent surveys show strong bipartisan skepticism, with roughly 70% of voters expressing concern over data facilities locating in their communities due to heavy water and electricity consumption alongside modest permanent job creation.

The issue has sparked friction in the governor’s race, with Bottoms raising questions about Jackson’s out-of-state data center investments, as well as municipal policy debates across metro Atlanta and county governments statewide.

Kemp backs Collins ahead of Oct. 8 debate

In Georgia’s high-profile U.S. Senate race, incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff continues to hold leads of six to nine points in recent surveys over Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Mike Collins.

The race received a major jolt this week when Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp formally endorsed Collins, along with the full slate of Republican candidates on the November ballot. Kemp’s backing unites key factions of the state GOP as party leaders look to bolster statewide turnout.

Georgia voters will see the two Senate contenders face off directly in a statewide, traditional-format debate on Thursday, Oct. 8, featuring questions from a panel of Gray Media journalists covering communities throughout Georgia.

How to watch ‘On the Record’

The full broadcast edition of On the Record airs Sunday at 11 a.m. on Atlanta News First and streams live on ANF+.

This week’s program features:

• In-depth interviews with the candidates for Georgia lieutenant governor: Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal and Democratic state Sen. Josh McLaurin.
• An exclusive, first sit-down television interview with newly sworn-in CDC Director Dr. Erica Schwartz.

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