Fewer than 50 days before the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm elections, with early voting set to begin shortly, Georgia's top political contests are moving into their final phase. According to a Rasmussen poll, the Georgia gubernatorial race stands within the margin of error.
According to the most recent survey data, Jackson leads Bottoms by three percentage points — 48 to 45 — while seven percent of voters remain undecided. When the survey's margin of error and the proportion of undecided voters are taken into account, the two candidates stand essentially level. The approximately seven percent of voters yet to make up their minds may well determine the final outcome, placing considerable weight on how candidates present themselves in public.
A prime-time town hall airing Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. on a news channel will seat both candidates for governor together, with the event structured around pre-screened Georgia voters who have yet to make up their minds, allowing them to drive the conversation by asking questions about the issues influencing their decision rather than following the conventional format of candidates questioning one another. Viewers across Georgia can watch the debate on Gray Media's local television network or stream it at no cost via ANF+.
Polling figures remain close as campaign expenditure reaches record levels. His campaign, drawing heavily on personal wealth, is projected to reach total expenditures of close to $200 million by the end of the electoral cycle. He directed approximately $90 million toward television advertising throughout the summer, placing spots across Georgia during sporting broadcasts and regular programming to build broad public awareness of his name.
Bottoms responded by releasing her first campaign advertisement targeting her opponent directly to camera, set to run across all six television markets in Georgia. The advertisement draws attention to Jackson's history as an executive in healthcare staffing, claiming he personally benefited from a system with structural flaws. Though external organisations and political action committees have boosted Bottoms' visibility, Jackson retains a notable edge in advertising volume through personal campaign funds.
The growth of large-scale industrial data centres has drawn them into the political spotlight alongside longstanding policy debates over healthcare, housing costs, and education. Polling data across party lines finds approximately 70% of respondents harbour reservations about data centre development in their neighbourhoods, citing the facilities' high demands on water and power resources alongside limited long-term employment generation.
The matter has become a point of contention in the gubernatorial contest, with Bottoms questioning Jackson's investments in out-of-state data centres, alongside policy disagreements in municipalities across metro Atlanta and county governments throughout the state.
Polling data from recent surveys places Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff ahead of Republican House member Mike Collins by six to nine percentage points in the Georgia contest for a U.S. Senate seat. A development in the contest emerged this week involving Georgia's governor. Kemp threw his support behind Collins and the rest of the Republican ticket ahead of the November election. Kemp's endorsement brings together disparate wings of the state Republican Party as officials work to increase voter participation across the region.
Residents across Georgia will have the opportunity to watch the two Senate candidates meet in a live, conventional-style debate on Thursday, October 8, with questions posed by a panel of Gray Media reporters from communities around the state.
