Politics
Georgia 2026: What the polls and experts say about the race for governor
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson will face off for the state’s top job in November.
Democratic nominee for governor Keisha Lance Bottoms, left, and Republican nominee for governor Rick Jackson. (Arvin Temkar and Jason Getz/AJC)
Updated July 15, 2026
The November matchup for Georgia governor is set.
Republican billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson defeated Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in a June runoff for the Republican nomination. Keisha Lance Bottoms stunned the Democratic field by winning 56% of the May primary vote, enough to win her party’s nomination outright.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has collected the top polls and predictions for the general election. Here’s what they show.
Early polls
The first polls since November’s matchup was set show Bottoms has a small edge or a race that is even.
Election predictions
Political experts see a close race with all calling it a toss up. Inside Elections had recently labeled the race tilt Republican before shifting it in late June.