Georgia Governor Election 2026
Brian Kemp (R) is term-limited. Rating: Toss-up.
Status: upcoming. Election day is November 3, 2026.
Candidates
| Candidate | Party | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Keisha Lance Bottoms | Democratic | Former Atlanta mayor |
| Rick Jackson | Republican | Businessman |
Polls
| Date | Pollster | Keisha Lance Bottoms | Rick Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 13, 2026 | InsiderAdvantage (R) | 47% | 49% |
| September 23, 2026 | InsiderAdvantage (R) | 46% | 48% |
| September 23, 2026 | Big Data Poll (R) | 50% | 50% |
| September 18, 2026 | YouGov | 44% | 46% |
| September 14, 2026 | Rasmussen (R) | 45% | 48% |
| August 17, 2026 | InsiderAdvantage (R) | 46% | 46% |
| August 1, 2026 | Quantus (R) | 46% | 45% |
| July 16, 2026 | Fabrizio (R) | 48% | 46% |
| July 13, 2026 | State Navigate | 52% | 44% |
| June 30, 2026 | Wick | 43% | 43% |
| June 27, 2026 | Fox News | 52% | 47% |
| June 2, 2026 | Concord (D) | 53% | 38% |
Average of the 3 most recent polls: Keisha Lance Bottoms 47.7%, Rick Jackson 49%. Polls are snapshots, not predictions.
Where the candidates stand
Keisha Lance Bottoms (D)
- Would repeal Georgia's six-week abortion law. (2026) source
- Supports universal background checks and red-flag laws while backing the Second Amendment. (2026-10) source
- As Atlanta mayor set a goal of 100% clean energy by 2035. (2019) source
- Would expand Medicaid and create a drug price review board. (2026-10) source
- Would fully fund public schools and guarantee universal pre-K. (2026-10) source
- Would protect marriage equality. (2026-10) source
- Opposes banning transgender students from girls' sports. (2026-10) source
- Opposed ending DACA and wants more immigration judges, with local cooperation with ICE kept lawful. (2018) source
- Backed Microsoft data centers as mayor but now says Georgia moved too fast and calls for a moratorium. (2026) source
Rick Jackson (R)
- Would defend Georgia's six-week "heartbeat" abortion law. (2026-10) source
- Opposes banning semi-automatic firearms. (2026-04) source
- Would veto red-flag laws, waiting periods and safe-storage mandates. (2026-04) source
- Wants Georgia to lead in deporting criminal immigrants and opposes sanctuary cities. (2026-10) source
- Would halve the state income tax in four years and eliminate it in eight, and freeze property taxes. (2026-10) source
- Would opt Georgia into the federal private-school scholarship tax credit. (2026-05-05) source
- Would bar transgender girls from girls' sports and facilities. (2026-10) source
- Supports data centers with guardrails, opposes a moratorium, and would not give them tax breaks. (2026-06-02) source
Sources
- 2026 United States gubernatorial elections (Wikipedia)
- 2026 Gubernatorial Race Overview (Brownstein, Sept. 23, 2026)
- Latest governor polls (RealClearPolling)
- 2026 election polls (Political.org)
- Cook Political Report governor ratings
- The Green Papers: 2026 candidates by state
- Amid Ad Uproar, Ohio Governor’s Race Moves From Toss Up to Lean Democrat (Cook Political Report, Oct. 23, 2026)
- Midterm Elections in Ohio, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
- Midterm Elections in Michigan, October 2026 (Marist Poll)
Ratings, candidates and polls last updated October 24, 2026. Ratings are expert forecasts, not results.