Georgia voters decide Ossoff Senate defense and open governor race
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The gist
Georgia voters cast ballots Nov 3 in Senate and governor races, with Jon Ossoff defending his seat against Mike Collins.
Georgia is a battleground Trump won by 2.2 points in 2024, so the results signal which way it leans.
Background
Jon Ossoff is the Democratic U.S. senator from Georgia, elected in a 2021 runoff, and the only Democratic senator seeking reelection in a state Trump carried in 2024. Mike Collins, a two-term Republican congressman from Georgia's 10th District, won the Republican Senate nomination and has made immigration and border security his central issue. In the governor's race, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, faces Republican Rick Jackson, a healthcare executive and billionaire. Republicans are trying to hold the governor's mansion after two terms under departing GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who cannot seek a third term.
How it unfolded
- May 19, 2026Georgia held its primary; Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley advanced to a Republican Senate runoff, while Bottoms clinched the Democratic gubernatorial nomination with 56% in a field of seven.
- Jun 16, 2026Collins won the Republican Senate nomination outright in a runoff against Dooley, 56% to 45%; Trump endorsed Collins, while Kemp backed Dooley.
- Oct 13, 2026Ossoff and Collins debated in Atlanta.
- Oct 14, 2026Ossoff had raised about $137 million as of this date, compared to about $11 million for Collins.
- Nov 3, 2026Georgia voters cast ballots in the Senate and gubernatorial races; Ossoff defended his Senate seat against Collins, and Jackson faced Bottoms for governor.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- Observers describe Georgia as a state that could go either way, noting Trump won it in 2024 by a 2.2 percentage point margin, the 28th largest among the 50 states.
Still unverified
Trump revived unfounded claims that his 2020 loss was the result of "massive fraud", despite audits which upheld Biden's win.