Georgia’s 8th District House Race 2026

Florida Republicans showed a marked shift in voting behavior ahead of this year's primary election compared to the last open governor's race in 2018. State Division of Elections data show about 422,000 Republicans voted by mail this cycle, down from over 621,000 in 2018, while in-person early voting jumped from roughly 300,000 to nearly 450,000. Democrats' habits changed less, roughly matching 2018 patterns for both mail and early in-person voting.

Analysts point to President Trump's repeated criticism of mail voting as a likely driver of the GOP shift, along with a 2021 Florida law requiring voters to request mail ballots each election cycle rather than every other cycle. Nearly 2 million Floridians had voted early or by mail as of Monday, with Republicans slightly outnumbering Democrats. The contested four-way GOP gubernatorial primary, featuring Byron Donalds, Jay Collins, Paul Renner, and James Fishback, is fueling Republican turnout, while Democrats face a less competitive race led by David Jolly. Experts say the net effect on overall turnout remains uncertain.

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) said during a debate against Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins that President Trump's conduct already meets the threshold for impeachment, should Democrats win a House majority in November. Asked at the Atlanta Press Club-hosted debate whether he would support impeachment efforts and vote to convict, Ossoff said the president's "misconduct, abuse of power, and corruption already exceed any prior standard for impeachment," adding he would consider any articles of impeachment "on the merits as a juror in the Senate" if the House sends them.

Ossoff voted for Trump's second impeachment but was not in Congress during the first. Impeachment requires a House majority and a two-thirds Senate vote, both currently controlled by Republicans. The Georgia Senate race is seen as pivotal to control of the chamber in the second half of Trump's term, with polling showing Ossoff ahead of Collins less than a month before election day.

President Trump traveled to Dalton, Georgia, to rally for Senate candidate Mike Collins and gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson ahead of a competitive midterm election. Unlike recent stops in safely Republican states, Georgia remains a genuine battleground, with Collins facing Sen. Jon Ossoff and Jackson facing former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Both Democrats seized on the visit, arguing it ties the GOP ticket to Trump's economic record and 2020 election denialism; Collins has echoed Trump's fraud claims without directly affirming Biden's legitimate win. Gov. Brian Kemp, who delayed endorsing Collins, skipped the rally. The race highlights GOP divisions and narrowing margins even in deep-red Georgia districts.

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) called on the U.S. to lead an international "AI treaty" to contain risks from rapidly advancing artificial intelligence, speaking at a rally in Athens, Georgia. He argued a "capable president" would send inspectors into frontier AI labs, guard against bioterrorism risks, and press Congress for legislation, criticizing President Trump and congressional leaders for inaction while framing Congress as unprepared for the technology's pace.

The comments come as AI policy becomes a growing midterm election issue, with Barack Obama urging Democrats to prioritize it and figures like Elon Musk and Anthropic's Dario Amodei calling for safety-focused caution. The Trump administration has repeatedly rejected global AI governance, with officials like Michael Kratsios promoting "sovereign AI" and national self-determination over international regulatory frameworks. Trump has dismissed global guardrail proposals, insisting existing U.S. regulatory and criminal authority is sufficient and that America is winning the AI race against China. Ossoff faces Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) in a closely watched Georgia Senate race, rated a toss-up by RealClearPolling.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and businessman Derek Jackson are set to meet in the only confirmed debate of Georgia's governor race, a one-hour town hall airing at 8pm on Gray Media's WANF and affiliated stations statewide. WANF anchor Rick Folbaum will moderate the event, held at Assembly Studios in Doraville, with vetted undecided voters posing questions on the economy, health care, education, housing, public safety and possibly data centers.

Recent polling shows the race within the margin of error. Jackson, who self-funded $108 million to win his primary, raised $13 million in the general election period with about $11 million on hand as of July 31, while Bottoms raised roughly $5.6 million with $1.3 million cash on hand. Jackson has skipped two earlier debates, citing a focus on direct voter outreach. Bottoms is expected to attack Jackson's business ties to President Trump, while Jackson continues targeting her record as Atlanta mayor.

Georgia election officials and outlets are clarifying common misconceptions ahead of the state's voting process. Key facts: a photo ID (not necessarily a driver's license) is required to vote in person, though a voter registration card is not needed. Absentee ballots require no stated reason but must be received by county offices by 7 p.m. on Election Day, not merely postmarked. Voters must register by the deadline and cast ballots at their assigned polling place. Georgia prohibits ballot photography and campaign attire within 150 feet of polling sites. Results may arrive in stages, since provisional and qualifying military ballots can take extra time to process.

Early voting opened in Georgia for the 2026 midterm elections, giving voters until Oct. 30 to cast ballots ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3. Voting hours, locations, and weekend availability vary by county, and officials are urging voters to check local election offices or the state's My Voter Page for details.

Two statewide contests are drawing the most attention. In the governor's race, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, faces Republican businessman Rick Jackson. In the U.S. Senate race, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins is challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Both races are considered competitive and could have broader implications for partisan control heading into the next election cycle, making Georgia a focal point for political forecasters and prediction markets tracking gubernatorial and Senate outcomes.

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff and Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins met Thursday night for their first debate in Georgia's closely watched U.S. Senate race, hosted by Atlanta News First. It was the first of two scheduled face-offs, with a second debate set for Tuesday at an Atlanta Press Club event.

Ossoff, seeking a second term, has maintained a consistent lead in public polling and holds a significant fundraising advantage over Collins, a sitting U.S. House member. Collins used the debate to try to shift momentum as the campaign enters its final weeks before the November election.

Advance in-person voting begins Oct. 13, with Election Day set for Nov. 3. The contest is among the most competitive Senate races of the midterm cycle and could play a role in determining control of the chamber, drawing national attention and heavy spending from both parties.

Early voting opened in Georgia for the 2026 midterm election, running through Oct. 30, with Oct. 23 as the deadline to request an absentee ballot. Nearly every major statewide office is open, with new officeholders guaranteed in most races. The headline contest pits Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms against Republican Rick Jackson for governor, while incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff faces Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins in a closely watched Senate race.

Down-ballot races include lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, agriculture, insurance and labor commissioner, plus two Public Service Commission seats, congressional and legislative contests. Voters will also decide three constitutional amendments covering conservation-use acreage limits, nonpartisan election of probate judges, and dedicated funding for 911 systems. Turnout data is tracked through the secretary of state's Election Data Hub. The races carry significant implications for prediction markets given Georgia's status as a key battleground state.

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) denied having presidential ambitions during a Georgia U.S. Senate debate against Republican Rep. Mike Collins, hosted by the Atlanta Press Club. Pressed on whether he would commit to serving a full six-year term, Ossoff said, "Yes, I will. I have zero interest in running for president... I'm running for reelection to the Senate."

Collins, who is endorsed by President Trump, rejected the denial, accusing Ossoff of being an "elitist" using Georgia as a platform for a 2028 White House bid and labeling him a future "DSA candidate." Ossoff has previously urged Democrats to focus on the 2026 midterms rather than 2028, though he has drawn attention from the party's progressive wing, including a since-distanced endorsement from streamer Hasan Piker. The Georgia Senate race is seen as pivotal to Senate control in the second half of Trump's term, with polling showing Ossoff ahead less than a month before election day.