Early voting begins as Jackson, Bottoms rally Georgia voters
Tight governor race hinges on early voting turnout
Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson push for early voting support across Georgia as polls show a tight race. Bottoms takes the debate stage alone in Atlanta after Jackson declined to participate. Party leaders urge voters to cast early ballots starting Tuesday ahead of Election Day.
ATLANTA - Atlanta was the first stop on a statewide tour for Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson Monday.
Kemp stumps for Jackson
What they're saying:
Jackson told reporters, "The election is a clear choice. We're going to build on Brian Kemp's legacy and take Georgia to the next level."
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp joined Jackson on the campaign trail Monday morning. Governor Kemp added, "We got early voting starting tomorrow. This is all about getting the vote out."
Bottoms greets supporters in Stockbridge
The other side:
An hour south, Democratic opponent Keisha Lance Bottoms was greeted by supporters as she took the stage at an event in Stockbridge.
"This is about getting out the vote," Bottoms said. "This is about encouraging people to show up and vote early. Don't wait until Election Day."
Georgia race for governor
Big picture view:
As early voting gets underway Tuesday, polls show the candidates running neck and neck.
Bottoms pointed to the razor-thin margins of the previous cycle, stating, "I want to remind people that in 2018, 21 votes per precinct, on average, made the difference between the winner and loser in the governor's race, just 21 votes per precinct. So, for anybody who believes that their vote doesn't count, they should look back at those numbers in 2018. Every vote matters and that's the reason that we want voices to be heard and reflected through votes."
FOX 5 talked to Bottoms ahead of Monday night's debate. While Bottoms takes the stage alone, Jackson defended his decision to skip the event, having agreed to only one debate during the race.
When asked by reporters about skipping the forum, Jackson said, "I have visited thousands of Georgians for the last nine months. I've gone hundreds of places. I've not had one voter ask me a question about a debate."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporters, who attended campaign events in Atlanta and Stockbridge and spoke directly with candidates Rick Jackson and Keisha Lance Bottoms, as well as official campaign public statements.