Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and healthcare company CEO Rick Jackson remained largely civil throughout an hourlong debate this week — but when it came to discussing election practices, data centers, Flock cameras and President Donald Trump, the two Georgia gubernatorial candidates sharply disagreed with one another.
The debate was the first (and likely last) time the candidates met on stage ahead of the November midterm elections, where Georgia voters will decide who will replace term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Recent polling shows the race is virtually tied, though Democrats are hopeful about eking out up- and down-ballot wins in the battleground state.
Bottoms and Jackson answered both live and taped questions from Georgia voters during the town hall-style event, largely focusing on economic issues and affordability concerns. Both candidates promised to take action to address the impact of rising costs of living on voters, including by providing tax relief.
Jackson, a billionaire executive who leads Jackson Healthcare, used a question about affordability to criticize Bottoms, who he accused of driving up costs during her tenure as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022. “Bad mayors don’t make good governors,” he said.
Bottoms, meanwhile, tied Jackson to Trump multiple times throughout the night, including by bringing up his past promise to be Trump’s “favorite governor.”
“I will stand up to Donald Trump when necessary,” Bottoms said. “I’m not running to be his favorite governor.”
When it came to election security, Bottoms said she would take action to expand voting accessibility for Georgia residents, including by expanding voting days and making Election Day a holiday. However, Jackson praised Kemp’s election changes, which have reduced or restricted Georgians’ ability to vote.
“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.”
Bottoms also noted in the debate that she would pause all new data center construction and signaled she would be open to instituting a moratorium on Flock cameras, the latter of which has gained traction as a nationwide campaign trail issue. She slammed Jackson for being “an investor in data centers,” causing her Republican opponent to point out that she had approved a project involving a data center while mayor of Atlanta.
Jackson said he would also pause new data center construction, though he said he would seek local community approval before doing so. On Flock cameras, he staunchly opposed a moratorium, characterizing it as a public safety issue. “I don’t want crime to go up,” he said.
Though Bottoms has benefitted from strong support from Georgia Democrats, Jackson has used tens of millions of his own dollars to flood voters with advertisements supporting his campaign. This race is one of many around the country where Democrats, despite being buoyed by national sentiment, have found themselves facing GOP opponents with a financial edge.
Georgia voters will decide who to send to the governor’s seat on Nov. 3. Early voting in the election will begin in the state next week.