Bottoms and Jackson Clash in Final Georgia Gubernatorial Debate

Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican candidate Rick Jackson participated in their only agreed-upon head-to-head televised town hall debate on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. Held at Assembly Studios in Doraville, Georgia, and moderated by Rick Folbaum of Atlanta News First, the hourlong event focused on questions from undecided voters regarding healthcare, education, affordability, and election security.

Bottoms proposed suspending the state grocery tax, expanding Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, and increasing starting teacher pay to $60,000. She also advocated for a pause on new data center construction and supported the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Jackson pledged to cut the state income tax during his first term, implement healthcare price-transparency technology, and prioritize workforce development. While he also expressed support for expanding Medicaid, he differed on funding methods and rejected a blanket moratorium on data centers.

The candidates clashed over Jackson's relationship with Donald Trump and Bottoms' tenure as mayor of Atlanta. Following the debate, both campaigns claimed victory. Bottoms' campaign manager, Tharon Johnson, accused Jackson of avoiding direct answers, while Jackson's spokesperson, Garrison Douglas, asserted that Bottoms could not defend her mayoral record. Early voting for the November 3 election begins October 13.