Bottoms and Jackson clash over Trump and data centers in Georgia governor debate

Mixed · 2Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson clashed Tuesday night in their only scheduled debate of the Georgia governor's race, a town-hall-style event with questions from voters. 1 2 Mixed · 2Bottoms is a former Atlanta mayor and former Biden administration official; Jackson is a billionaire healthcare executive. They are competing to succeed term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp, and voters go to the polls Nov. 3. 1 2 Mixed · 2Bottoms said Jackson wants to be "Trump's favorite governor" and "Trump with a southern tone", and said she would stand up to Trump when necessary. Jackson replied, "I don't owe anybody anything" and "nobody's ever told me what to do", and said he would stand up to anybody, as Kemp has done. 1 2

Left · 1NBC News reports that Trump endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, not Jackson, in the Republican primary. It says Jackson leaned heavily into comparisons with the president during the primary but has since backed off that approach and sought to link himself to Kemp. 1 Mixed · 2On data centers, Bottoms repeated her call for a pause on new construction and accused Jackson of investing in them, including one in Bowie, Texas, according to the Washington Examiner. Jackson said, "I haven't invested in four data centers" and "I don't own a data center". He accused Bottoms of approving three data centers in Atlanta as mayor and giving away $400 million in tax benefits. 1 2 Mixed · 2Jackson said he would approve new data centers only with local community approval and environmental standards. NBC adds he wants a commitment to lower local power bills; the Examiner says he also wants communities compensated. Bottoms denied his claim but acknowledged that a data center was built at Georgia Tech, which she said was part of a much larger footprint. 1 2

Left · 1Jackson repeatedly attacked Bottoms's record as mayor, blaming her for Atlanta-area inflation he said exceeded the national rate and citing higher crime during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said, "Bad mayors don't make good governors." 1 Left · 1On taxes, Bottoms proposed cutting or suspending taxes on items such as auto insurance, groceries, hygiene products and diapers. Jackson promised to cut state income taxes, property taxes and taxes on certain utilities. 1 Mixed · 2On election security, Bottoms said she was "deeply concerned" about Trump's rhetoric on elections. Jackson said he understood voters' concerns and backed Kemp's approach. Asked about a Justice Department role in Georgia's elections, he said it was unnecessary unless Kemp thought it was. 2 1

Right · 1Bottoms said Jackson had said the National Guard would be called in during the election. The Examiner says this refers to an August event where, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jackson said, "We'll get National Guard — Gov. Kemp is going to watch it for us." Jackson called the claim "a complete falsehood" and said he had never suggested it. 2 Left · 1The candidates also split on Flock traffic cameras: Bottoms said she was not opposed to a moratorium on new installations, while Jackson said he was. 1 Mixed · 2The race is close, but the outlets describe it differently. NBC says public polls show the two locked in a close race and that Jackson has outspent Bottoms 7-to-1 with his own money. The Examiner says recent polls show Jackson with a slim lead. 1 2