Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms sat down with 11Alive’s Zach Merchant on “The Georgia Vote” this past Sunday to detail her platform for the state, emphasizing strategies to lower costs for families, address utility burdens, and safeguard reproductive healthcare. The appearance comes during a critical week in the campaign cycle, underscored by the continued absence of her Republican opponent, Rick Jackson.
Jackson has notably declined multiple invitations from media outlets to discuss his platform. Most recently, he opted out of a scheduled debate on September 22 and has repeatedly refused to sit down for a one-on-one interview with 11Alive. During the broadcast, the station confirmed, “We’ve repeatedly invited Rick Jackson to sit down for a Georgia Vote interview, but he has not agreed so far.”
During the interview, Bottoms highlighted the rising cost of living as the primary concern she hears from Georgians on the campaign trail. Her proposed solutions include suspending the state gas tax to provide immediate relief for farmers and logistics, empowering local governments to eliminate grocery taxes, and removing taxes on essential items such as diapers and feminine hygiene products. She also advocated for the expansion of Medicaid and the creation of a trust fund dedicated to preserving workforce housing.
Bottoms directed sharp criticism toward her opponent’s transparency, arguing that voters deserve answers regarding his business dealings and potential conflicts of interest. She pressed Jackson to explain his financial ties to the state of Georgia, specifically questioning his history of government contracts and addressing allegations of Medicare fraud and human trafficking previously leveled against his companies. Bottoms noted, “He needs to explain what he’s doing with taxpayer money and why—if he claimed that he was going to unwind his contracts—why would he then extend one of those contracts well into 2027?”
Addressing the environmental and economic impact of data centers, Bottoms highlighted a clear contrast in policy. She argued that utility costs for everyday Georgians should not be inflated to support private data centers, an industry in which Jackson is heavily invested. She cautioned against the “cloak of secrecy” often surrounding such developments, citing community opposition in other states as a warning of what could occur in Georgia under his leadership.
On the issue of reproductive rights, Bottoms reaffirmed her commitment to restoring the standard established by Roe v. Wade. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that physicians can provide necessary medical care without the threat of prosecution, stating, “We need to go back to the Roe standard that was the law of the land for nearly 50 years in this country, and allow doctors to practice medicine and remove politics outside of the exam room.”
