Georgia governor candidates Jackson, Bottoms headline Georgia chamber political luncheon – Atlanta News First

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Athens is officially the epicenter of Georgia’s 2026 midterms this week.
In a star-studded political lineup featuring outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp and U.S. Senate challenger Rep. Mike Collins, gubernatorial rivals Rick Jackson and Keisha Lance Bottoms will cross paths for the first time since their spring primary victories, marking a major escalation in the fight for Georgia’s political future.
Athens’ Classic Center is the host for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 congressional luncheon.
Jackson has already accepted an invitation to debate Bottoms in a town hall-style format hosted by Gray Media, parent company of Atlanta News First. Bottoms issued a challenge to Jackson for a series of debates earlier this year, but the former Atlanta mayor has not yet accepted the Gray Media debate invitation.
Collins is the GOP congressman challenging Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff this fall in one of the nation’s premier battleground Capitol Hill races.
A Georgia congressional candidate panel is also scheduled. Moderated by former Georgia congressman Drew Ferguson, the panel will include:
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