Georgia gubernatorial candidates made their pitches to voters a year ahead of the 2026 election during a forum hosted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Candidates from both parties took to the stage Wednesday evening to discuss their visions for a better Georgia.
In the wake of a historic upset in the public service commission race, affordability was top of mind for the candidates. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said that the cost of living is a cornerstone of her policies.
“Affordability is a huge issue,” she said. “It means we’ve got to expand affordable housing in this state. We’ve got to make sure that people can put food on their table and gas in their car.”
An AJC poll showed Bottoms leading the Democratic field with 40% of the vote. Former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, and former state Sen. Jason Esteves also polled high enough to qualify for Wednesday night’s forum.
On the Republican side, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also spoke about the cost of living.
“The best way really I feel of addressing affordability, No. 1, is creating great-paying jobs,” he said. “Great-paying jobs solves a lot of issues.”
Raffensperger came in second in the AJC poll, with 15% of respondents choosing him as their top choice.
Lt. Gov. Burt jones, the top polling Republican with 22% of the vote, skipped the forum citing a scheduling conflict. Attorney General Chris Carr also spoke at the forum, and criticized Jones’ absence.
“I think it’s critically important that we stand and face the questions,” Carr said.
Democratic state Reps. Ruwa Romman and Derrick Jackson and Republican businessman Clark Dean are also running for Georgia’s top seat, but did not poll highly enough to qualify for the forum.
Current Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is term-limited and cannot run for reelection.
This article appears on Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News
