Georgia gubernatorial race enters final weekend as polling shows deadlock

Republican Rick Jackson and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms have launched their final campaign pushes following the conclusion of early voting in Georgia. Polling indicates the gubernatorial race is currently deadlocked within the margin of error.

Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive, has invested approximately $220 million in his campaign, with a significant portion directed toward television advertising. During a rally in Smyrna, Jackson called for building on the legacy of Brian Kemp and criticized Bottoms regarding her tenure as Mayor of Atlanta.

Bottoms campaigned in Fulton County alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris. While early voting turnout has been higher in metro Atlanta, experts caution that early voting numbers in Georgia are an imprecise predictor of the final outcome because voters do not indicate party affiliation upon registration.

As of Thursday, nearly 2.4 million ballots had been cast. Data suggests that young and nonwhite voters are participating at a faster rate than in previous years.