ATLANTA — A new statewide poll suggests Rick Jackson’s decision to skip the most recent gubernatorial debate had little to no effect on the race.
The InsiderAdvantage survey, conducted after the debate, shows Jackson holding a narrow 49% to 47% lead over Keisha Lance Bottoms, with 4% of voters still undecided.
According to the group, Jackson’s absence from the debate did not appear to hurt his standing with voters.
“This survey was conducted after the most recent gubernatorial debate, which Rick Jackson was absent from. It shows that his absence from the debate had no impact on his numbers,” InsiderAdvantage Chairman Matt Towery said.
The findings come after a debate that featured Bottoms without her Republican opponent, creating questions about whether voters would react negatively to Jackson’s decision not to participate.
Instead, the poll indicates the race remains largely unchanged, with Jackson maintaining a slim advantage.
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InsiderAdvantage also said it continues to see strong support for Republican candidates among senior voters nationwide, a trend the firm believes is benefiting Jackson.
At the same time, it noted strong African American turnout during the first day of early voting in Georgia.
Those competing dynamics are contributing to what pollsters expect will remain a closely contested race through Election Day.
“Early voting/early mail-in numbers show this to also be the case. However, in Georgia, the African American vote was strong in the first day of early voting, which pretty much tracks with our belief that this will be a close race, but one that Jackson is leading,” Towery said.
With early voting underway, the governor’s race remains one of the most closely watched contests in Georgia, but the latest polling suggests Jackson’s decision to skip the debate has not changed the overall trajectory of the race.