Jon Ossoff

Republican gubernatorial candidate Burt Jackson said he's worried rural Georgia voters may not turn out strongly for him, as early voting shows high turnout among Black voters, a key bloc for Democrats. Jackson faces former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) in a close contest; a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution/University of Georgia poll gave Jackson a narrow one-point lead. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) leads his reelection race by a wider margin, and Democrats hope strong Ossoff turnout lifts Bottoms. Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive, has self-funded over $100 million of his campaign, far outpacing Bottoms, though Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker donated $1 million to her effort. Decision Desk HQ gives Bottoms a 56 percent win probability.

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.

Early voting began Tuesday in Georgia under a new State Election Board rule requiring poll workers to write each voter's name on a numbered list after check-in, a measure officials say is meant to maintain accurate voter records and create a paper trail of who cast ballots. Early voting runs through Oct. 30, ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office reported a first-day record of 188,667 in-person ballots, up from 134,962 in 2022 and 70,849 in 2018, plus over 10,000 absentee ballots. Black voters made up more than 36% of first-day votes, a 6-point increase from 2024. Raffensperger called the turnout a sign of voter confidence in the state's election system.

Voters are deciding several high-profile contests, including governor and U.S. Senate. Sen. Raphael Warnock cast his ballot on the first day alongside Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, who faces healthcare executive Rick Jackson for the seat being vacated by Gov. Brian Kemp. Sen. Jon Ossoff, seeking a second term against Republican Rep. Mike Collins, also voted before the two debated that evening. Both races are among the most closely watched nationally, with control implications for the Senate drawing heavy turnout and scrutiny over election administration.

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.

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.

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.