Why Georgia candidates are making a frantic final push before early voting ends

The Brief

• Candidates in Georgia's races for governor and U.S. Senate are blanketing the state to mobilize voters before the advance in-person voting window closes this Friday, October 30.

• Gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms and Senator Jon Ossoff campaigned alongside Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

• Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins pointed to heavy early ballot activity and post-debate enthusiasm, while both Collins and gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson work to push conservative voters to the polls.

ATLANTA- With just eight days until Election Day, candidates in Georgia's races for governor and the U.S. Senate hit the campaign trail Monday as the final week of advance in-person voting gets underway.

Georgia gubernatorial race

What they're saying

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms and Sen. Jon Ossoff campaigned alongside Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Monday, making a direct push for base turnout.

Bottoms pointed to tight margins and massive spending in the race.

"We need to, one, make sure that our ads stay up on TV, on radio, that we're able to knock on doors, call people on the telephone, get these college students to work, making sure that everybody is engaged to help us turn out the vote," Bottoms said.

Republican gubernatorial challenger Rick Jackson rallied supporters in Carrollton following a weekend campaign appearance with President Donald Trump in Perry.

Ossoff vs Collins

What they're saying

In the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff, who leads his opponent in recent polling, urged Georgians to turn out in force before early voting locations close.

Ossoff framed early participation as a direct response to voting rights disputes.

"For citizens who see Donald Trump's attacks on voting rights here in the cradle of the civil rights movement, voting rights that people marched and died to secure, to honor that sacrifice and to defend those rights, the best thing people can do is use those rights by voting," Ossoff said.

Campaigning in Jackson, Republican challenger Mike Collins told reporters he has seen a surge of momentum since the candidates held their first debate.

Collins pointed to his travel schedule and voter enthusiasm across the state.

"We've been seeing the momentum swing probably since right after that first debate. And we've been out here across this state, just crisscrossing the state for weeks now, putting over 2,000 miles on the vehicle and visiting with thousands of Georgians every week. We've seen that momentum push. Now that early voting has started, we're seeing it turn up at the polls," Collins said.

What's next

Advance in-person voting in Georgia continues through Friday, Oct. 30, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

The Source

The information in this story was gathered from campaign appearances and public remarks by Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jon Ossoff, Rick Jackson and Mike Collins, who detailed their mobilization efforts and voter turnout messaging during events across Georgia, as well as candidate statements provided to reporters.