Rick Jackson’s Big Trump Pivot in the Georgia Governor Debate | Politically Georgia

Rick Jackson spent the Republican primary promising to be Donald Trump’s “favorite governor.” But in his first debate against Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jackson didn’t mention Trump’s name once, instead repeatedly invoking Gov. Brian Kemp. Greg Bluestein and Patricia Murphy break down what that striking pivot says about Jackson’s general election strategy and Bottoms’ effort to convince voters they can’t trust her opponent. The hosts also examine the candidates’ clash over data centers and Jackson’s past comments about the National Guard before turning to Georgia’s other marquee debate: Sen. Jon Ossoff versus Republican challenger Mike Collins. With control of the U.S. Senate potentially at stake, Greg and Patricia explain why Collins needs a breakout performance and what Ossoff must protect. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why Rick Jackson emphasized Brian Kemp instead of Donald Trump. • How Keisha Lance Bottoms is making trust a central argument against Jackson. • Why data centers became one of the sharpest clashes of the governor’s debate. • What Mike Collins needs to accomplish against Jon Ossoff in their first Senate debate. CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Bottoms and Jackson Face Off in Georgia Governor Debate 00:58 – Rick Jackson’s Pivot Away from Donald Trump 02:33 – Bottoms and Jackson Clash Over Trump 05:01 – How Dramatic Is Jackson’s Trump Reversal? 07:35 – Bottoms Takes Her Attack into the Spin Room 09:40 – Did the Debate Format Help Rick Jackson? 11:37 – Bottoms and Jackson Clash Over Data Centers 15:12 – The National Guard Claim and the “Roll the Tape” Moment 18:56 – Jon Ossoff vs. Mike Collins Debate Preview 20:16 – Why Mike Collins Needs a Breakout Performance 22:35 – The Battle to Win the Post-Debate Moment 24:19 – How Aggressive Will Ossoff Go Against Collins? 27:37 – Mike Collins Sticks with Trump as Others Pull Away Subscribe to Politically Georgia:    / @politicallygeorgia   Visit our website for more: https://www.ajc.com/politics/politica... #politics #podcast #Georgia #news #AJC #atlantajournalconstitution