Georgia candidates, parties make final push before Election Day

by Julianne Sheehan

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Republican candidates Rick Jackson and Mike Collins made final pitches to voters in the Coastal Empire on Monday, the last day of campaigning before Georgians vote Tuesday for governor and U.S. Senate. The chair of the Georgia Democratic Party also issued a final message to voters.

Polls show the governor’s race as a toss-up and Sen. Jon Ossoff ahead of Collins in the Senate race. Gov. Brian Kemp said Republicans are falling behind in early voting turnout.

Polls and turnout

Polling shows a dead heat in the governor’s race between Jackson and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

A new Insider Advantage poll, released Monday, shows Ossoff with a 7-point lead over Collins.

Kemp said Republicans are falling behind in early voting turnout. Top Republican decision-makers said the race is far from over. The message Monday from both candidates was to vote.

Jackson: economy and spending

Jackson, a healthcare CEO and billionaire, was joined Monday by Kemp, House Speaker Jon Burns and other Republican leaders. He faces Bottoms on Tuesday’s ballot.

In his closing case, Jackson promised to build on the economic foundation laid over the last eight years. He said that if elected, he will continue Kemp’s legacy of affordability. He pledges fiscal conservatism, lower taxes and continued investment across the state. He said keeping Georgia on that path will be his top priority on day one.

“No matter what happens in DC, no matter what happens around the world, we have to deal with what we can do and what we can control here in Georgia,” Jackson said.

During his remarks, Jackson attacked Bottoms’ record as mayor of Atlanta.

Jackson has spent more than $100 million of his own money on the race. A large portion of that money has gone toward TV ads. Jackson addressed his spending Monday.

“I don’t think you can buy an election. If you’re the wrong person and the wrong message, it doesn’t matter how much money you have,” Jackson said. “From my standpoint, we will find out tomorrow how I did on this race.”

Jackson: ‘not a red state’

Jackson said Georgia is no longer a red state and that every vote in the election matters. Kemp also said Georgia is no longer a red state.

“That’s the reason why we have to get out and vote. We have a lot of people in rural Georgia, maybe you can tell them what happened in 2018, that still think this is a red state and it’s not. And if they don’t come out, we’re going to lose tomorrow, but if they come out, we will win,” Jackson said.

Collins: Senate race

Collins disagrees that Georgia is no longer a red state. He is challenging Ossoff, the Democratic incumbent, on Tuesday’s ballot.

Collins said he is confident he will win Tuesday. He said he will be Georgia’s next senator.

“None of that ever matters, it doesn’t affect me, it doesn’t change me in any shape or form. The only polls that ever matter are the voting polls,” Collins said.

Collins urged residents to vote Tuesday. He said people who have not voted should make a plan to do so, and then call family and friends and urge them to vote.

“I need y’all’s help, I need your help, here in the state of Georgia. If you haven’t voted yet, make a point to go vote. This race is close, it’s close,” Collins said.

Democratic Party message

Georgia Democratic Party Chair Charlie Bailey said Georgia is a battleground state and every vote counts. Bailey said the governor’s race between Bottoms and Jackson is too close to call.

Bailey wants voters to forget the data and remember who has the power.

“This is a story that you get to write. You are not the spectators at the play, you’re the actors on stage. You get to determine how this goes,” Bailey said.

“This is your country, this is your state, it is your family, it is their future. Vote like it is,” Bailey said.

Bailey has two reminders for voters who have not yet voted. First, voters who are in line by 7 p.m. can vote. Second, voters who requested an absentee ballot but did not send it in should not mail it now. It will not count. Bailey said those voters should vote in person or bring the ballot to their local polling place.