Recap of Georgia governor’s debate between Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson
The gubernatorial hopefuls answered questions from undecided voters in what will likely be their only appearance together.
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson spent an hour fielding questions from Georgia voters on issues ranging from affordability to healthcare to data centers.
The town hall style-debate is expected to be the only time the candidates formally appear together in advance of the Nov. 3 election. They are vying to replace two-term Gov. Brian Kemp.
That's a wrap
The debate is over.
And judging from the questions asked during the hour-long event, Georgia voters are worried about affordability, healthcare and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, data centers and Flock surveillance cameras.
Both candidates made it through without any major gaffes. But expect to see the highlight reels on social media.
Let the spin begin.
A divide on elections
A major divide over election security emerged between Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson over a question from a Cobb County poll worker.
Bottoms said she’s “deeply concerned” about President Donald Trump’s rhetoric around Fulton County's elections and said, if elected, she would pass a "John Lewis Voting Rights Act" for Georgia. She said it would expand voting days and hours, make student IDs valid for voting and make Election Day a holiday.
“The right to vote is sacred, and we know that in our democracy, it can be taken away in an instant,” Bottoms said. “And we're watching that attempt in real time.”
In contrast, Jackson said Gov. Brian Kemp has gotten election law changes right, and he would leave them as they are.
“Our last two elections have been good from that standpoint. We haven't had any problems,” he said. “I don't expect one this election.”
Election intervention
Republican Rick Jackson distanced himself from calls for federal intervention in Georgia’s elections.
“I don’t think it’s necessary unless Gov. Kemp thinks it’s necessary,” Jackson said.
The answer comes days after the Republican-controlled State Election Board asked the Trump administration to intervene in Georgia’s voting system ahead of the midterms.
The exchange also revived Jackson’s earlier comments about the National Guard. Bottoms accused him of calling for the Guard to be deployed during the election, something Jackson disputed.
“I want to work with everyone,” Jackson said, pointing to a conversation with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and saying he would work with the Democratic mayor because “he’s solved a lot of problems.”
Bottoms shot back: “Forgotten that he said it, but he said it.”
Flock moratorium?
Flock license plate cameras are popping up all over the place in tonight's debate.
After a second questioner expressed concerns about the surveillance technology, Keisha Lance Bottoms said she is "not opposed" to a moratorium on the installation of new cameras, citing privacy concerns.
Rick Jackson said he opposed a moratorium, saying, "I don't want crime to go up."
Public safety pivot
The debate's format doesn't give candidates much room to go on offense.
Republican Rick Jackson tried to pivot a question about mental health and the criminal justice system to an attack on Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms' public safety record as mayor.
"I will never ever abandon you by pulling out police when you need the protection the most," Jackson said.
"Yes, I'm not sure who he's referring to," Bottoms replied.
A polite debate, and then fireworks. “He can’t be trusted.”
Tonight's format, with Georgians asking the questions of candidates, meant a very polite back-and-forth between Jackson and Bottoms dominated the first half of the debate.
But a clash over data centers ended the kumbaya.
When a Lee County voter asked how each candidate would control the proliferation of high-tech expansion in the state, Bottoms accused Jackson of investing in four data centers that local residents did not want. “If he is an investor in data centers, if he builds data centers, he cannot be trusted on this,” she said.
Jackson retorted that not only did he not invest in four data centers (he has invested in at least one). Instead, he said, it was Bottoms who pushed a data center project at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
“You are what your record says you are,” Jackson said. “Not what you say you are going to do.”
Bottoms invokes Trump. Jackson points to Kemp
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms tried to make President Donald Trump the focus of one of the debate’s sharpest clashes. Republican Rick Jackson responded by pointing to Gov. Brian Kemp.
Bottoms seized on Jackson’s past pledge to be Trump’s “favorite governor,” arguing that meant embracing federal cuts she said have cost Georgians their jobs.
“I will stand up to Donald Trump when necessary,” Bottoms said. “I’m not running to be his favorite governor.”
Jackson never mentioned Trump by name. Instead, he cast Kemp as his model for dealing with Washington, saying he would work with any president while pushing back when Georgia’s interests are at stake.
“I will stand up to anybody, just like Brian Kemp has done,” Jackson said. “He works with both parties, both presidents, and he stands up when he disagrees.”
Surveillance state
Both candidates for governor found common ground on the need for a crackdown on misuse of Flock Safety cameras and other license-plate readers.
Bottoms said penalties for those who do abuse the technology should be "severe."
Jackson agreed, saying there should be "strict, no abuse privileges" for the technology.
Guardrails around Flock cameras have become a rare point of agreement for both Democrats and Republicans after a wave of reports of law enforcement officers mishandling the technology.
Halfway through, both candidates are avoiding major missteps
One strategist said ahead of the showdown that the main goal for both candidates was simple: survive.
Halfway through the hourlong debate, both have done just that.
Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson have traded a few sharp attacks, particularly over healthcare and data centers, while drawing clear contrasts on taxes, wages and other issues.
But for the most part, both are getting their points across, landing a few licks and, so far, avoiding the sort of major gaffe or damaging moment that could reshape the race.
Data center divide
The debate's first real clash came over a familiar topic: Georgia’s booming data center industry.
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms reiterated her call for a pause on new data center construction while the state develops a broader strategy, and pointed to Republican Rick Jackson's financial stake in a disputed project in northeast Texas.
“If he is an investor in data centers, if he builds data centers, he cannot be trusted on this,” Bottoms said.
Jackson turned the attack back on Bottoms, noting she approved a data center project and tax incentives while she was Atlanta mayor.
“You are what your record says you are, not what you say you want to do,” Jackson said.
Bottoms then disputed Jackson’s account, saying the project she helped approve in Midtown was not a hyperscale data center but was only a part of a larger research hub that she said created 4,200 jobs.