Georgia races tighten as candidates wrap up final day of campaigning

Georgia serves as a key battleground for the upcoming midterms, with both governor and Senate races remaining closely contested. Candidates for both offices concluded their official campaigning on Monday, the final day before Election Day on Tuesday.

The governor’s race has narrowed in recent weeks. According to the latest InsiderAdvantage poll, Republican candidate Rick Jackson and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms are tied at 49 percent. Two percent of surveyed voters remain undecided. Jackson, a businessman, and Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor, spent Monday traveling to different parts of the state to rally their respective bases.

Bottoms addressed a crowd in northwest Atlanta, positioning the election as a choice between two different directions for the state. She argued that her platform focuses on improving business, healthcare, and education. She also pointed to Jackson’s relationship with President Donald Trump. "If you want a guy who wants to continue the policies of Donald Trump; you want him to have a foothold in Georgia. You want a guy who wants to be Trump’s favorite governor, Trump with a Southern tone, then ‘Slick Rick’ is your guy," Bottoms said.

Jackson campaigned alongside incumbent Republican Governor Brian Kemp. The pair visited metro Atlanta, Savannah, and Albany to encourage voters to cast their ballots. Jackson focused his attacks on Bottoms’ time as mayor, specifically her decision to leave office before her term ended. "When the city needed her the most, she just walked away. She abandoned Atlanta," Jackson said. He added, "I can guarantee, no matter what happens in Georgia, I will never, ever abandon you."

The U.S. Senate race features incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Representative Mike Collins. The campaign has centered on the economy, energy costs, and foreign policy. Ossoff campaigned in DeKalb County, urging voters to participate in what he described as a critical vote. "Tuesday is the last chance to make your voice heard in this pivotal election with an out-of-control president, a reckless war that we’ve been lied into, record high prices," Ossoff said.

Collins made a stop in Buckhead before moving to south-central Georgia. He criticized Ossoff’s stance on energy policy, including his support for the Green New Deal. Collins argued that the country has not built a new refinery in over 50 years. "Until we get back to energy independence in this country, period, which we haven’t built refineries in over 50 years, we’re moving in the right direction," Collins said.

The InsiderAdvantage poll of 2,500 likely voters shows Ossoff leading Collins by a seven-point margin, with Ossoff at 53 percent and Collins at 46 percent. One percent of voters are undecided. Georgia has already surpassed the early voting totals from both the 2018 and 2022 midterms. Polls open statewide at 7 a.m. Tuesday.