The latest from the Georgia 2026 campaign trail

Amid political coverage heading into upcoming elections, officials and candidates also weigh in on an array of issues and events that could affect voters’ choices.

There’s more than a year to go until the 2026 midterm election. But in battleground Georgia, the races for U.S. Senate, governor and a host of other contests are already heating up. Georgia has played a critical role in recent elections, and it’s expected to again prove a bellwether.

At the state Capitol, there’s a wide-open race to replace Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is prevented by term limits from running for re-election.

In Washington, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, is seeking a second term and trying to prove that Georgia is still a swing state, despite backing Donald Trump for president in November.

Then there are a host of down-ballot races — from statewide constitutional officers to members of Congress to state legislators.

Meanwhile, candidates such as Ossoff are facing other political firestorms - such as the controversy over health chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - that could also help shape their fates at the polls down the road.