Georgia governor candidates spar over the economy and Trump in lone debate

Georgia's two nominees for governor met Tuesday night for the only debate of the general election campaign, trading attacks over the economy, data centers and the role of President Donald Trump. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor and Biden administration official, faced Republican Rick Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive. Public polls show them tightly matched with four weeks until Election Day and early voting set to begin next week, according to NBC News.

The town-hall format, which included live and taped voter questions, stayed mostly civil. Bottoms argued that Jackson would simply echo Trump, saying he wants to be the president's favorite governor, while she would oppose him when needed. Jackson answered that he owes nobody anything and repeatedly pointed to Gov. Brian Kemp as his model. Trump had backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Republican primary, and Jackson has moved away from his early Trump comparisons since winning the nomination in June. He also blamed Bottoms for inflation in metro Atlanta and for crime during the pandemic.

Both pledged tax relief. Bottoms proposed trimming taxes on goods such as groceries, diapers and auto insurance, and Jackson promised cuts to income, property and some utility taxes.

Summarized by PolitiKool from NBC News’s reporting. Read the full story at NBC News →