ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Republican nominee Rick Jackson holds a narrow lead over Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia’s gubernatorial race, according to a new survey released by Rasmussen Reports.

The poll of 1,019 likely Georgia voters found 48% would vote for Jackson if the election were held today, compared to 45% for Bottoms. Seven percent of respondents said they remain undecided.

Because the three-point spread falls within the survey’s margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points, the race remains a statistical dead heat heading into the November midterms.

The survey was conducted via telephone and online on Sept. 14, 2026, by Rasmussen Reports, with fieldwork by Pulse Opinion Research.

Jackson, a healthcare business founder who secured the GOP nomination after defeating Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in a runoff, and Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, have both largely unified their party bases. The poll shows Jackson backed by 89% of Republicans, while Bottoms holds support from 88% of Democrats.

Among independent and unaffiliated voters, Jackson holds a slight edge at 43% to Bottoms’ 41%, with 16% undecided.

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The survey highlights significant demographic splits across Georgia’s electorate, particularly by gender and age:

• Gender: Men favor Jackson by a 15-point margin (53% to 38%), while women favor Bottoms by seven points (51% to 44%), creating a 22-point net gender gap.
• Age: Older voters strongly back Jackson, who leads 63% to 34% among voters aged 65 and older. Bottoms holds a commanding lead among voters under 30, topping Jackson 58% to 34%.
• Race and ethnicity: Jackson leads among white voters (66% to 27%), while Bottoms carries strong support among Black voters (77% to 18%) and leads among Hispanic voters (52% to 38%) and other minority groups (49% to 39%).
• Household income: Jackson claims majorities among middle- and upper-middle-income voters earning between $50,000 and $200,000 annually, while Bottoms leads among households earning more than $200,000.
• Marital status: Married voters favor Jackson by 17 points (57% to 39%), while unmarried voters lean toward Bottoms (49% to 42%).

Voter preference closely aligns with the 2024 presidential contest. Approximately 83% of respondents who backed Donald Trump in 2024 said they plan to support Jackson, while 82% of those who voted for Kamala Harris back Bottoms.

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