While much of the focus this midterm season is on congressional races, there are also 36 states across the country holding elections for governor. One of those is Georgia, a purple state where former Democratic Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican businessman Rick Jackson held their first and only televised debate last night. Liz Landers reports.
This governor's race is between billionaire businessman Rick Jackson and former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta. Jackson is currently leading slightly in the polls. The debate provided an opportunity for Georgia voters to ask questions directly to the candidates. Key issues discussed included affordability, Flock cameras, data centers, wage growth, and Medicaid expansion.
Throughout the debate, Bottoms attempted to connect Jackson to President Trump. She stated, "My opponent has said he wants to beat Trump's favorite governor. He wants to be Trump with a Southern tone. He said there's not a single policy that he disagrees with Trump on."
In response, Jackson said, "I don't owe anybody anything. Nobody's ever told me what to do. My number one priority is Georgians. It's you. And I will stand up to anybody." While he did not mention Trump by name, he compared himself to the current Republican governor, Brian Kemp. Jackson has received an endorsement from Trump but has not emphasized this on the campaign trail.
At a Republican watch party for the Fulton County GOP, attendees expressed their support for Jackson, citing his business background and potential to bring economic opportunities and lower taxes to Georgia. Many attendees believed that Trump's involvement could energize the Republican base in Georgia.
Jackson is also investing significantly in advertising, showcasing a substantial financial advantage in the race.
Nationally, there are currently 26 Republican governors and 24 Democratic governors, with both parties identifying opportunities to gain seats. Democrats are optimistic about flipping Iowa, while Republicans are favored in Kansas. Additionally, Democrats are targeting states like Ohio and Alaska, which have not been competitive for them in recent years. In Texas, the Democratic Governors Association and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker are each contributing one million dollars to Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa, who is running against Governor Greg Abbott. A recent Siena poll shows Hinojosa with a slight lead, which would mark a significant achievement for Democrats if they were to win the governor's mansion in Texas, a state they have not won in a statewide election since 1994.