ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — In a debate punctuated by personal insults and accusations, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and the man hoping to replace the Georgia Democrat in the Senate, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins met each other for their first televised debate ahead of the state’s nationally watched 2026 elections.

The debate was hosted by Atlanta News First and broadcast statewide across all Gray Media Georgia stations. It was moderated by Atlanta News First anchor Rick Folbaum, and the candidates were questioned by a panel of Gray Media journalists from throughout the state.

LIVE UPDATES:

8 p.m. | The debate has ended.

7:57 p.m. | Ossoff makes his closing statement. He said Collins inherited his father’s congressional seat and now “runs his daddy’s company,” and has brought disgrace upon the state. Collins closes the debate by arguing Ossoff has voted with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, and has the same values as El-Sayed and Piker. He asks Georgians to “help me get to the U.S. Senate.”

7:50 p.m. | When asked about farm labor and the issue of immigration, Collins said the nation’s southern border is secured, and criticized Ossoff for his support of open borders and allowing criminals to come in “and kill people.” Ossoff said he has worked in a bipartisan manner to secure the border but said Georgians expect their government to uphold standards of decency but has “unleashed federal agents to kill citizens on our streets with impunity.” Ossoff called Collins a “Trump puppet.”

7:47 p.m. | Ossoff calls the Iran war a disaster, and called on Collins to defend the war. Collins said President Trump had every right to ensure Iranian leaders do not acquire a nuclear weapon.

7:45 p.m. | Ossoff said Collins and President Trump remain focused on the 2020 presidential election results. Collins would be clutching a “billy club” if John Lewis were marching on Selma, Alabama, today. Collins said there is no reason America should not have the securest elections in the world. “There is no reason you should not have to show your ID when you go to vote ... Ossoff requires an ID when you show up at one of his rallies.”

7:40 p.m. | Collins said he has condemned racism and anti-Semitism but said he has not heard Ossoff denounce Piker or El-Sayed. Ossoff said Collins has propagated neo-Nazism online and called Collins “a bigot.”

7:36 p.m. | Ossoff is asked if he believes Israel is guilty of genocide. Ossoff said “there is no doubt” that Israel “violated the law of armed conflict” but that he cares deeply about Israeli and Palestine lives. He claims Collins wants to defund international criminal courts, while Collins claims Ossoff has endorsed Michigan U.S. senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and supports social media influencer Hasan Piker.

7:34 p.m. | Collins said “we are in a race for AI ... China wants domination over the entire world ... but we need to make sure there isn’t overreach.”

7:30 p.m. | When asked about automated license plate readers, Ossoff said he supports federal privacy laws to protect against big tech companies and Flock cameras being improperly used. But he said President Trump “likes Flock cameras ... and would place one on every corner if he could.” Collins said Flock cameras “shouldn’t be out. Otherwise we don’t need the Flock cameras.”

7:27 p.m. | Ossoff accuses Collins of stocking his congressional office with “half of the Third Reich to staff your office and you have promoted neo-Nazi content online” but “you’re robbing your constituents to subsidize your donors.”

7:23 p.m. | Ossoff is consistently calling on Collins to explain his support of the Trump administration’s tariffs, war in Iran, repealing Medicaid cuts, and rising healthcare costs.

7:20 p.m. | Ossoff said he supports repealing Medicaid cuts and said Collins supported those cuts, putting rural healthcare facilities in danger. Collins said the Affordable Care Act under the Obama administration began putting pressure on rural hospitals because of federal mandates. “This is what has caused your healthcare prices to go sky high,” he said.

7:17 p.m. | Asked about their farm bill and agricultural priorities, Ossoff said he has delivered for Georgia farmers. “Family farms in Georgia are getting crushed” because of the war in Iran, he said. Collins criticized Ossoff supported shutting down the federal government for 46 days, delaying relief funds for Hurricane Helene.

7:16 p.m. | Ossoff said Collins has voted for the Iran war a total of seven times. “We are now 12 minutes into this debate and we still haven’t heard an explanation as to how the tariffs are helping Georgia families.”

7:12 p.m. | Collins calls Ossoff “a trust fund kid who has never had a job in his life.” Ossoff reminded voters Collins is under federal investigation for “the illegal misuse of tax dollars.” Collins calls those charges “bogus” and called it a “nothing burger.”

7:10 p.m. | Collins said today’s high inflation rates are directly due to the Biden’s administration’s economic policies. Ossoff pledges to repeal tariffs and Medicaid cuts and end the war in Iran. Georgia voters deserve to know why Collins has supported Trump’s policies, and is calling on the congressman to answer those questions “right now.”

7:06 p.m. | Collins and Ossoff are asked about their plans to combat high prices. Collins said Ossoff had supported President Joe Biden’s economic policies, while Ossoff said President Trump’s tariff policies are hurting the state. Ossoff keeps pressing Collins to answer for his support of the administration’s economic policies. Moderator Rick Folbaum reminds Ossoff that campaigns are not allowed to ask questions of each other.

7:04 p.m. | Collins says Georgia has no voice in the U.S. Senate, calling Ossoff a radical. “He has left our state less safe, more expensive and worse off,” he said.

7 p.m. | Atlanta News First’s U.S. Senate debate begins. Ossoff has the first opening statement, saying Democrats, Republicans and independent voters are uniting behind his campaign. He said, “tonight, a united Georgia will hear the trial of Mike Collins,” adding Collins has brought dishonor upon the state.

6:15 p.m. | Collins wins the coin toss and elects to have the debate’s final statement.

5:45 p.m.

5:15 p.m. | What are the differences between tonight’s Senate debate and the Atlanta News First gubernatorial town hall earlier this week?

3:30 p.m. | Pre-debate coverage begins here at 6:30 p.m.

3 p.m. | Doug Reardon, co-host of On the Record With Atlanta News First, previews tonight’s debate:

1 p.m. | Here are some issues that could come up during tonight’s debate.

12 p.m. | Atlanta News First anchor Rick Folbaum, moderator of tonight’s debate, previews the event.

12 p.m.

11 a.m.

Ossoff and Collins will debate before a panel of Gray Media journalists.

Ossoff is the only Democratic incumbent U.S. senator defending his seat this fall in a state won by Donald Trump in 2024. His race against Collins could determine control of the U.S. Senate for the next two years.

Early Thursday morning, Ossoff’s campaign said the senator, “backed by a broad coalition - including Republicans who have crossed party lines to support his re-election bid – will put his strong record of delivering for Georgians against Mike Collins’ abysmal record as a notorious bigot and Trump puppet who backed Trump’s reckless war and voted to make everything from gas, groceries, and health care more expensive.”

“On the Record: Live” begins at 6:30 p.m. and the post-debate analysis airing immediately following the debate.

How to watch the debate

The Senate debate will air live on Atlanta News First and on Gray Media stations across Georgia. You can watch it on WANF (channel 46) in metro Atlanta and north Georgia; WTOC in Savannah; WPGA in Macon; WRDW in Augusta; WALB in Albany; and WTVM in Columbus. The debate will also be available to stream live and on-demand. Simply download our station news app on your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV or your smart TV devices.

Atlanta News First and Atlanta News First+ provide you with the latest news, headlines and insights as Georgia continues its role at the forefront of the nation’s political scene. Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest political news and information.

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