State Policy · GA
Bottoms Pushes Medicaid Expansion as GOP Rival Skips Georgia Debate
Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms debated an empty podium Monday after GOP nominee Rick Jackson skipped the Atlanta Press Club's Loudermilk-Young debate, the first general-election gubernatorial candidate to do so since 1994. Jackson instead campaigned with Gov. Brian Kemp across the state, citing affordability and property taxes as voter priorities over debate appearances. Bottoms used the forum to promote her platform, including expanding Medicaid, fully funding pre-K, and creating an affordable housing fund, while also criticizing Georgia's six-week abortion ban. Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election begins Tuesday.
Why it mattersA Bottoms victory would put Medicaid expansion back on the table in one of the largest remaining non-expansion states, directly affecting coverage for hundreds of thousands of low-income Georgians and the state's managed care landscape.