Georgia Midterms: Ossoff Leads Senate Race as Trump Rallies in Dalton

Voters in Georgia head to the polls next week for a decisive midterm contest. The state has produced three consecutive Senate runoffs, making it a focal point for both national parties. President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama both held rallies in the state this week to close out their campaigns.

Polling data indicates a clear advantage for Democrats in the Senate race. According to MS NOW averages, incumbent Jon Ossoff leads Republican challenger Mike Collins by a margin of 52.6 percent to 42.4 percent. The governor's race, however, is statistically closer. NBC forecasts a toss-up between Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson, who are running to succeed Governor Brian Kemp.

Trump has campaigned twice in Dalton, Georgia, over the past two weeks. The state holds personal significance for the president due to the 2020 election dispute. In January of that cycle, Trump urged a Georgia official to recalculate results, specifically seeking 11,780 votes. A 2023 criminal case involving the effort to overturn the 2020 outcome was dismissed after Trump returned to office.

Ossoff, who won his seat in 2021 and served as Georgia’s first Jewish senator, is campaigning on affordability and government accountability. He has accused Trump and allies of corruption during recent rallies. Obama, speaking on Wednesday, stated that Trump is focused on enriching himself and his family. He added, "The guy has made billions of dollars while in office. We have never seen a president so intent on selling favours like this."

Collins, who secured his nomination in a June runoff, is running on immigration enforcement and smaller government. Trump has told voters he will reward states that support him. At a recent rally, he acted out a scenario where Ossoff calls for funding, with Trump responding, "I don’t give a damn what he wants."

In the governor's race, Bottoms aims to become the first black woman elected to the post. She is campaigning on healthcare access and education funding. Her opponent, 72-year-old billionaire Rick Jackson, has spent more than $200 million of his own money on advertisements. Those ads feature footage of the 2020 protests following the death of Rayshard Brooks, which occurred during Bottoms's tenure as Atlanta mayor.

Georgia voters will also select representatives for 14 congressional districts, as well as the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State. Currently, nine of the state's congressional seats are held by Republicans and five by Democrats. Nationwide, 40 million ballots have already been cast, according to the University of Florida’s election lab.