Ossoff and Collins clash over Trump, Biden and racism row in first Georgia Senate debate

Left · 1Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff and Republican Rep. Mike Collins met on Thursday in the first debate of Georgia's Senate race, an hourlong event hosted by WANF-TV of Atlanta. 1 Left · 1NBC News reported that both candidates tried to tie the other to policies of Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and that the economy and consumer prices dominated each of the four segments. 1 Left · 1Ossoff repeatedly asked Collins to explain his support for Trump's tariffs, saying "Still have not heard an explanation for the tariffs"; NBC said Collins never answered directly, though he said the tariffs make trade with China "fair" and cited Georgia's ports. 1

Left · 1Collins blamed Biden-era policies for inflation, saying "That Bidenomics, that Green New Deal my opponent voted for, that's where this inflation came from," and argued that tax cuts keep more money in people's pockets. 1 Left · 1On foreign policy, Collins defended Trump's decision to begin bombing raids on Iran with Israel in February, saying the president "had every right" to stop Iran getting a nuclear weapon. 1 Right · 2Ossoff said eight months of war had brought 18 Americans killed in action, diesel at an all-time high and unleaded gas at $4; in Just the News's account he promised to "repeal the tariffs" and "end this disastrous war in Iran." 2 3

Right · 2Collins blamed the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act for inflation and Biden-era policies, including killing the Keystone pipeline, for high energy prices, and pointed to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as having cut taxes for families by more than $3,000, according to the Washington Examiner and Just the News. 2 3 Mixed · 2On healthcare, Ossoff called for Medicaid expansion and criticised Collins for letting Affordable Care Act subsidies lapse, while Collins touted TrumpRx and price transparency and said insurers are the ones "getting rich"; Just the News noted a rural hospital unit Ossoff cited as closed by Medicaid cuts had also cited staffing shortages and changing demographics. 4 3 Left · 1Ossoff accused Collins and Trump of being "obsessed with overturning the 2020 election"; Collins did not back down from the idea the election was stolen, but focused on election security and said Ossoff opposes the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. 1

Left · 2A major flashpoint was Collins's son-in-law, who has promoted white nationalist posts on social media; Ossoff said "Imagine running for the U.S. Senate while neo-Nazi propaganda is disseminated to an audience of millions from your house," and called Collins "a bigot." 1 5 Left · 2Collins said he does not support racism or antisemitism and has told his family so; asked by a moderator what he had said to his daughter and son-in-law, Raw Story reported he replied "that's my family," said he fires people in his business who say such things, and turned to Ossoff's supposed associations with Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and streamer Hasan Piker. 1 5 Left · 1Raw Story also quoted Ossoff as saying Collins hired "half the Third Reich" to staff his congressional office, and that if the late civil rights leader John Lewis "were marching today, Mike Collins would be grabbing a billy club." 5

Left · 1Collins in turn pointed to billionaire Reid Hoffman, an Ossoff donor whose name appeared in the Epstein files, calling him "one of Epstein's buddies"; NBC noted authorities have not accused Hoffman of wrongdoing and Hoffman has said he regrets associating with Epstein. 1 Left · 1In closing remarks Ossoff said Collins, a trucking company owner and former congressman's son, misleads about being a trucker, while Collins had the last word, asking why Ossoff voted against farmers and "hardworking Georgians." 1 Centre · 1The candidates also split on immigration and privacy: Collins said people should enter legally and accused Ossoff of letting in traffickers, Ossoff criticised raids on job sites, and both said Flock cameras should be restricted. 4

Right · 1The Washington Examiner reported that Collins is under a House ethics investigation over allegations he and a former chief of staff misused congressional funds to pay an employee who did little work; Collins called the complaint "bogus" and a "nothingburger." 2 Left · 1NBC reported that Ossoff has raised more than $100 million, about $50 million of it from small-dollar donors, versus more than $7 million for Collins, who has had $25 million of support from the Senate Leadership Fund; most public polling gives Ossoff a sizable lead, including a YouGov poll with a 10-point lead (margin of error 2.7 points) taken Sept. 15-18. 1 Right · 3Other polls cited include Wedgewood (Ossoff 55%, Collins 45%, Oct. 2-3), Big Data Poll (51% to 40.1% among registered voters) and Quantus Insights (48.2% to 44.4%); the Washington Examiner cited a RealClearPolitics average showing Ossoff up 7.8 points, and Cook Political Report rates the race Likely Democrat. Early voting begins Oct. 13. 4 2 3