FULL VIDEO: Georgia gubernatorial debate between Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson

[0:00] Tonight, with just days until early voting begins, the first and likely only meeting [0:06] of the two candidates fighting to become Georgia's 84th governor on the debate stage. [0:11] Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson. We're broadcasting live across [0:17] the state of Georgia from Gray Media-owned Assembly Studios in Doraville, DeKalb County. [0:23] Good evening. I'm Rick Fulbaum, the moderator for tonight's town hall-style debate. [0:27] The questions asked during tonight's debate will come from real Georgia voters, both here [0:33] in the debate hall and via pre-recorded video. They're voters who say they remain undecided [0:38] or open to changing their mind about who to vote for in this very important race. [0:44] Tonight's broadcast will run 60 minutes with four 15-minute segments. In order to have a thoughtful [0:49] and civil debate, these are the rules that both campaigns have agreed to. Voters will have 30 [0:55] seconds to ask a question for both candidates to answer. Candidates will have 60 seconds to respond [1:01] to those questions, with 30 seconds allowed for rebuttals at my discretion. Candidates are not [1:07] allowed to ask questions of each other, but they will each be allowed a 60-second opening statement. [1:13] There won't be any closing statements. You can read the debate rules in full by logging on to [1:17] atlantanewsfirst.com slash debate. It'll be my job to enforce the rules. Just before the start of [1:24] tonight's debate, we flipped a coin to see which candidate would go first. Mayor Keisha Lance [1:29] Bottoms, please begin with your opening statement. I grew up in a loving family where life wasn't always [1:35] easy, but I was always reminded that with faith and hard work, all things are possible. As a wife and [1:42] mother of four, I still believe that, and I believe Georgia's best days are ahead. Georgia is a work in [1:49] progress, and we've got a lot of work to do. But we have the power to make Georgia more affordable, [1:56] to protect a woman's right to choose, to protect our voting rights, to protect our communities from [2:01] out-of-control data center growth, to make sure every child has the opportunity to reach their God-given [2:08] potential, and to make sure we are protected from the harmful policies of Donald Trump. What we do in this [2:16] moment will echo through history. So let's choose hope over fear, progress over division, and come together to [2:23] build a better Georgia for everyone. While my opponent is running to enrich himself and be Trump's favorite [2:30] governor, I want to be yours, Georgia, and I hope to earn your vote. Mr. Rick Jackson, your opening [2:36] statement, please. Thank you very much. I'm running for governor for every Georgian who knows struggle or [2:43] uncertainty and wants a better life for their family. My father left me at nine months old. My mother was a [2:49] sixth grade educated waitress with a severe alcohol problem. I had seven stepfathers before I was 12. I lived in the [2:57] projects, went to 13 different schools, and lived in five different foster homes. I couldn't afford to go to college, so I started my [3:05] own business at 21. God has blessed me beyond anything I imagined, but I have never believed those blessings were mine [3:14] alone. I believe they were entrusted to me to help the least of these. I know what it means to struggle. I know [3:23] what it means to get a second chance, and I'm running for governor to make sure every Georgian has that same [3:30] opportunity. Candidates, thank you. We'll now move on to questions. The first one comes from a Fulton County voter [3:37] Shrikar. Go ahead, sir. I recently graduated from college, and fortunately, I'm debt free, but I still [3:45] struggle due to the fact that cost of living has risen out of control over the past five years. So I'd [3:51] like to know, what are the concrete and specific steps that you will take as governor to lower the [3:56] cost of living for young Georgians to make essentials like homes and health care more affordable? Mr. Jackson, [4:02] you have 60 seconds. Well, first of all, I've lived in poverty. I've had to try to make the rent, and I've [4:10] gone without food. So I understand exactly what you're talking about, and it is ridiculous. And there's [4:15] absolutely things that we can do to lower cost, lower health care, and also create jobs for everybody. But [4:23] one of the things that you need to understand is that your record is who you are. In 2021, we had the [4:32] worst inflation that we've ever had. And under Mayor Bottoms' leadership, the inflation rate of Atlanta [4:42] was 40 percent higher than the Biden's highest in 50 years inflation. This is the kind of policy that we [4:50] cannot have in running Georgia, not having people feeling safe to go to work or go to the gas store. [4:58] There's no way this should happen as a governor. Bad mayors don't make good governors. [5:05] Mr. Jackson, thank you. Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. [5:07] First of all, congratulations, Cherie. I would like to create an affordable housing trust fund. [5:13] This is something that I've had experience in doing, in making sure that young people like you have an [5:18] opportunity to own their own homes. We can provide grants, we can provide low interest loans, and also [5:25] make sure that we crack down on corporate landlords who are raising prices throughout this state. We also [5:32] need to expand Medicaid in this state to address the health care issues that are skyrocketing in this [5:38] state. 300,000 people don't have health coverage. 600,000 people dropped their coverage since January [5:45] because of the big, ugly bill. I want to make sure that young people like you have an opportunity to [5:51] succeed, to be a part of the American dream, to create wealth through home ownership, and making sure that you have [5:59] access to quality health care throughout this state. Even if you have private insurance throughout this state, then we [6:06] want to make sure that because Medicaid is expanded, that insurance is available. [6:11] Thank you very much. Our next question is a pre-recorded question from David, who is a veteran from [6:18] Chatham County, who told us he feels like he's being taxed to death. [6:24] I understand that taxes are used to pay for services around the state, but the taxes, they just keep going up. [6:30] Businesses are getting their tax breaks while citizens are left flipping the bill. When will we get our tax break? [6:37] Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. [6:39] There are two things that I'd like to address to specifically address tax breaks throughout the state. One is through auto [6:47] insurance. Right now, there's a 2.25 percent tax that auto insurance companies pass on to consumers. The average [6:56] consumer or household has two cars. That would be $140 per year in savings. And also through the homeowner's insurance tax that's [7:06] currently passed on to consumers also at around 2.25 percent. I want to make sure that that is going back [7:14] into the pockets of consumers. That will save on average $70 a year. And then also I want to suspend the [7:23] grocery tax or allow localities to suspend the grocery taxes and also submit, suspend taxes on diapers, [7:31] feminine hygiene products, and other goods that are making it more difficult for people to [7:38] afford groceries. Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Well, first of all, I have committed to cut the [7:43] income tax in half the first term or I won't run again. You know, the inflation rate we all experienced [7:50] was 23 percent over the 2019-2024, but property taxes went up 49 percent, which is completely insane. I'm going to [8:00] freeze and then reduce the property taxes as well. We've already talked about utility taxes being taxed, [8:07] reduced. We also have a gas tax reduction in times like we have right now. So from that standpoint, [8:13] I'm also going to have the most efficient government using current 21st century technology to make our [8:20] government more efficient and working for you so that we can cut the overhead and allow us to cut income [8:26] taxes. Thank you very much, sir. Our next question comes from Ebony, who is a single parent from Cobb [8:33] County. Go ahead, Ebony. Currently, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour yields a full-time [8:43] annual salary of approximately $15,080. Data shows that the minimum average cost of living for a single [8:53] individual in Georgia is significantly higher than that. What steps will you take as governor to ensure [9:00] that working-class Georgians earn a wage that allows them to afford basic housing, utilities, and daily [9:07] essentials? Thank you, Ebony. Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Well, thanks, Yvonne. I understand how [9:13] difficult that may be, and hopefully you're not the one that is getting the $7.50 an hour. But my focus is [9:22] creating jobs. I've been creating jobs my entire life. I have created so many jobs in Atlanta and all [9:30] over the United States. My focus is to give new jobs that pay higher and to have workforce development. [9:38] We need to use our high school students to show them the ability to do things like farming and [9:43] electrical and plumbing and so forth in our technical schools because all of these jobs come out with a [9:49] minimum of $25 an hour plus benefits. And so that's what I want to do. I want to show people how to [9:55] get out of poverty. People that are unemployed, I'm going to show them how to get trained and how to get [10:00] a job. And we're going to show them and help them get that job. We're not going to leave them alone. [10:06] We're going to give them a help because I want to show people how to get out of poverty like I did. [10:10] Mayor Bottoms you have 60 seconds. Ebony my mother was a single mother and so I watched her [10:16] work two jobs and go to school at night, go to cosmetology school at night. So I know what it's [10:23] like to live with a mother who is doing her very best to make ends meet. I want to make sure in the [10:30] same way that I was able to do this in the city of Atlanta, we were able to raise our minimum wage for [10:35] our employees to $15 an hour which was at that point was considered a living wage. That living [10:43] wage should be applied across this state. I will have the ability to implement that as governor and [10:51] I will strongly encourage private employers to follow suit. I also want to make sure that there [10:57] is a pathway for free technical and community college in this state for people who want to retrain [11:03] for better jobs, also working with our unions to make sure that people are able to train for some [11:09] of the six-figure jobs in this state. As I mentioned, my mother went back to cosmetology school at night [11:15] and it was life-changing. Thank you, Mayor Bottoms. And that concludes our first segment. [11:20] Debate Night Live is just getting started. We'll be right back with more of your questions [11:24] for Rick Jackson and Keisha Lance Bottoms. Welcome back to Debate Night Live, the race for governor. [11:30] Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican nominee Rick Jackson are taking [11:35] questions from undecided Georgia voters. Coming up next is a video question from a voter named James [11:41] who is from Bartow County. I live in Bartow County and I currently do not have health care coverage. [11:48] So if I get something as mundane as a broken leg or a chipped tooth, I could go bankrupt or become [11:52] homeless. My question is, as acting governor of the state of Georgia, what would you do to expand [11:58] Medicaid access? The money is there and people in the Gap are currently dying from not having [12:03] coverage. So if you can't expand Medicaid, please explain to me why these people deserve to suffer. [12:09] Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. I have repeatedly said that I want to expand Medicaid in the state. [12:16] My opponent has said that he opposes Medicaid expansion. I think he very recently has changed his [12:22] mind. The reason being there are 300,000 people in the state who don't have coverage because we didn't [12:29] expand Medicaid. Also 600,000 people dropped their insurance since the beginning of the year. Some [12:35] people wonder if I don't have Medicaid, then what difference does it make? It means that when you go to [12:41] a hospital and you can't be seen in an emergency room, it is because the health care system is broken. [12:49] James, my opponent has made money off of this broken health care system. He has a staffing company [12:55] that lures staff away from hospitals. It has sent many hospitals into closure because the personnel [13:03] costs have skyrocketed. It is a day one priority for me as governor. Mayor Bottoms, thank you. Mr. [13:11] Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Well, first of all, I am going to expand Medicaid to cover everybody. [13:18] I just want to do it in a way that we don't lose $4.5 billion that we are currently getting [13:23] for the state because that would really hurt our hospitals and doctors all over the state. But I [13:28] will expand. In addition to that, I am going to have technology so that you have the ability [13:33] to have your own record. You have the ability to know what something costs before you buy it [13:39] so that you can shop and save money from that standpoint. I am also going to restrict [13:45] insurance companies from practicing medicine by denying necessary medical coverage. We can't [13:51] have that anymore. And in addition to that, I am going to negotiate with pharma on behalf of all of [13:56] Georgia, all of our plans, so that we get the absolute best deal for health care. What we need to focus [14:04] on not only in expanding Medicaid, that doesn't solve the cost. We need to come up with solutions that [14:10] actually reduce the cost of health care. And that's what I'm going to do or I'm not going to run again. [14:15] Candidates, thank you. This next question is along those same lines. And it comes to us in a video [14:20] from Houston County, a voter named John, who is also asking about health insurance. Take a listen. [14:25] I'm from Houston County, lived here my whole life. I want to thank you for allowing me to ask this [14:33] question. It affects me in a personal way. And not only that, but I run into people on a daily basis [14:42] that it's affecting and they're left with no options. So my question, with all the denials of [14:49] service from health insurance companies surging to unprecedented numbers, what will you do if elected [14:54] to combat this growing problem here within the state of Georgia? Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. [14:59] Well, John, you're absolutely right. And I'm sorry that you're having problems. Nobody should [15:04] be denied the necessary coverage and necessary medicine from that standpoint. I absolutely will [15:10] be insurance company's biggest nightmare because I'm not going to allow that. In addition to that, [15:16] they're not paying our hospitals and our doctors on time. They have automatic denials for everybody so [15:22] that you have to go through a lot of paperwork. They make physicians, orthopedic surgeons come up [15:28] and talk to somebody about whether or not they should do surgery or not. This is totally ludicrous. [15:34] And there's no way this should happen. And under my watch, I will be going after insurance companies [15:39] and I will not allow them to deny necessary coverage anymore. Thank you, sir. Mayor Bottoms, [15:46] you have 60 seconds. John, health insurance companies that are repeatedly denying coverage [15:53] should not be allowed to do business in the state of Georgia. Additionally, many companies are now using [15:59] AI to make healthcare decisions. If that is the case, patients need to be informed that AI is being used [16:07] and have the right to appeal any denials of coverage that have been made by AI to a human being. It is a [16:15] travesty that people in this state have paid premiums, whether it be auto insurance, homeowner [16:23] insurance or healthcare insurance, and they cannot get the coverage that they need when they need it. [16:29] And those bad actors don't need to be allowed to do business in the state of Georgia. And I will see [16:35] to it that they are held accountable. Thank you, Mayor Bottoms. Our next question is from a voter named [16:40] Michael. He's here with us in the debate hall. He is a veteran from Cherokee County. Go ahead, Michael. [16:45] As a Marine Corps veteran, I believe that the state of Georgia has an opportunity to improve the health [16:50] and well-being of the veteran community. Under your leadership, how will the state partner with [16:55] the Veterans Administration to push the community care network to ensure Georgia veterans have quick [17:01] access to healthcare? Michael, thank you for your question and your service. And Mayor Bottoms, [17:06] you have 60 seconds. Michael, thank you for your service. When I served as Mayor of Atlanta, we had an [17:11] opportunity to work alongside many groups that service our veterans, including a suicide prevention [17:19] network that was specifically targeted towards veterans. But also, the state of Georgia has to [17:26] stand in the gap. Millions of dollars have been cut from the VA's budget, including the VA in Dublin and [17:33] the VA in Macon and Augusta. The state has to be able to stand in the gap to make sure that veterans can [17:40] receive the coverage that they need when they need it. Wait times for appointments are weeks long, [17:47] sometimes months long for specialty appointments. And it can be the difference between life and death. [17:53] And it can also be the difference between life and death decisions when someone is experiencing a [17:59] mental health crisis. Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Michael, thank you so much for your service. And [18:05] look, we owe you guys a great deal of gratitude for putting your life on the line. There's nothing [18:12] we could do to pay it back. But as governor, I'm going to try. I'm going to put together a concierge [18:19] desk in the governor's office to help any veteran 24-7 to actually navigate through the bureaucracy that [18:26] you have to do from that standpoint. In addition to that, I'm going to have a transition plan so that [18:33] veterans when they come out to show them how to get another job and to be hired. I want to [18:38] incentivize companies to hire our veterans. In addition to that, there's a real mental health [18:44] issue that I want to extend from that standpoint. We have too many veterans that are committing suicide, [18:50] and I want to fill in the gap for that. We're going to also reduce your taxes and not tax our veterans, [18:57] our servicemen when they're here. And so what I want to do is have Georgia be the number one state [19:03] to be a veteran. Thank you very much, sir. Coming up next, we have a question from Luann, who is from [19:09] Lee County. And she told us that she's concerned about what data centers could do to her rural [19:14] community's water supply. Listen. My question to the candidates is, how do you plan to address [19:24] the data center issue and the hyperscale power plants that are being planned throughout the state? [19:30] How will you address imminent domain being used to build data centers and power plants? [19:37] Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Well, thank you, Leanne, for that. I understand your concern. I really do. [19:45] I won't approve a data center unless three things happen. Number one, the community absolutely approves it, [19:53] period. Number two, that it has strict EPA standards. And number three, and as important, [20:00] that each person in the community gets a benefit of a reduction of their power bill and their property [20:06] taxes. Look, if you don't want a data center, I will stand up and defend it and make sure you don't get [20:12] it. But if you want a data center that can help you individually and economically, I will be there to [20:18] negotiate the best deal because this should benefit our citizens and no one else. Thank you, Mr. Jackson. [20:25] Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. [20:26] Leanne, I have caused from a call for a pause on the construction of new data centers. Georgia is [20:34] currently number one in the country for data centers. We need to pause. We need consumers like you. We need [20:41] experts in this field to sit around the table and tell us and give us guidance as to how the state of [20:48] Georgia should move forward. My opponent has invested in at least four companies that builds and constructs [20:56] data centers. Right now in Bowie, Texas, there is a community asking him to not build a data center, [21:03] a massive data center in their community, and he is moving forward. So if he is an investor [21:10] in data centers, if he builds data centers, he cannot be trusted on this. But I want to pause [21:16] on all new construction until we create a path forward that best serves all of Georgia and eminent [21:23] domains should only be used in the most extreme circumstances. Mr. Jackson, your business interests [21:30] were invoked there. I'd like to give you 30 seconds for a rebuttal. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate [21:36] that. But you are what your record says you are. I haven't invested in four data centers. I don't own [21:42] a data center. But what has happened under the mayor, the mayor has approved three data centers in [21:49] Atlanta, no restrictions, and gave away 400 million dollars of tax benefits. You are what your record [21:56] says you are, not what you say you're going to do. Mayor Bottoms, I'd like to give you 30 seconds for a [22:01] rebuttal. Yes, I'm not sure what data centers he's referencing other than one that is at Georgia Tech [22:07] that was a part of a much larger footprint. It was only 15 percent of that project. It was not a [22:15] hyperscale data center. It was not in the middle of a residential community. And it also brought 4,200 [22:23] jobs to the city of Atlanta. Candidates, thank you. Our next question is from Natasha, who is here in the [22:30] debate hall. She is a new Georgia resident who lives in Clayton County. Go ahead, Natasha. [22:35] Good evening. As Georgia expands the use of emerging technologies like AI and automated license plate [22:44] readers, decisions made in the name of progress can affect communities very differently. How would you [22:51] ensure that innovation does not create disproportionate economic, environmental, privacy, [22:57] or surveillance burdens for low-income communities and communities of color? Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 [23:04] seconds. Thank you for the question, Natasha. The challenge that we have with flock cameras and [23:10] other technology license plate leaders is that the technology has gotten ahead of the policy. The policy [23:18] should make sure that there is a right to privacy, that only in that people who are trained and lawfully [23:25] able to access these databases should be able to use these databases. There is a deep concern in trying [23:33] to balance the law enforcement use because there are instances where this technology can be helpful. [23:40] Say, for example, if a child is missing or an adult has wandered off. But it should not be misused [23:47] to track a spouse or a girlfriend or a boyfriend. We have to make sure that the penalties are severe, [23:53] that the retention policies around this camera usage is restricted, and also agencies are held [24:00] accountable when there are men and women who are misusing this technology and making sure that only [24:07] those who are trained and have lawful reasons to access it are able to do so. Thank you very much. [24:12] Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Well, first of all, I absolutely agree that we should not [24:18] sacrifice privacy because of safety. But these flock cameras do provide some very good outcomes. As she [24:28] mentioned, amber alerts, as well as, you know, elderly people that get lost, and then people who rob and [24:35] shoot somebody, and then we're able to enforce that. But we should absolutely have strict, no abuse [24:42] privileges for these systems. There's no reason. The flock cameras should be used to enforce [24:49] the law not to abuse it. Candidates, thank you very much. That concludes this round. [24:54] Debate Night Live continues right after this. Welcome back to Debate Night Live. Tonight, [24:59] the race for governor taking center stage. And we have more questions from undecided Georgia voters. [25:05] Sylvester is a Fulton County voter who has a question about education. Go ahead. [25:10] Good evening. Georgia has invested in literacy, teacher recruitment, retention, and career [25:18] readiness. But good policy, or just policy in general, doesn't always translate to classroom [25:24] success. As governor, specifically, what three steps would you take to attract, retain, and empower [25:33] the teachers, the great teachers that are required without relying on standardized testing? And what [25:40] measurable outcomes should Georgians use in four years to gauge your success? And again, specifically, [25:46] how would you fund it? Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Well, thank you so much. Look, I understand [25:52] more than most people how education is important. My mother was sixth grade educated and couldn't read [25:59] that well. And I know how that puts you behind. As you know, you learn to read up until the third grade, [26:05] and then you read to learn. And two thirds of our children right now can't do that. The way that we [26:10] solve that is not only have teacher pay raises, but we need to support the teachers in the room [26:17] administratively for discipline reasons and help them teach and do what they came on earth to do, [26:25] is to help children and remove all the administrative burden and make sure that they get support at every [26:30] level. Thank you very much. Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. Thank you for your question, [26:36] Sylvester. As a public school graduate, I am very proud of the education that I've received at Atlanta [26:43] Public Schools. Right now, teachers are underpaid in this state. The average starting pay is $43,000 a [26:50] year. I want to raise it to $60,000. I want to eliminate state income taxes for our teachers. And I also [26:57] want to make sure that we are fully funding pre-K in this state. We claim to have universal pre-K. It is [27:03] not fully funded. Frederick Douglass said it is far easier to build strong children than to repair [27:09] broken men. We can measure those outcomes not just by our test scores alone, but also where are our [27:16] numbers with youth crime. We, I am convinced, will see a drop in crime numbers when we have children [27:25] who are raised with options and opportunities to succeed and to thrive. Thank you, Mayor Bottoms. [27:32] Up next is a video question. This is from a voter in Columbia County. His name is Matthew. Let's take a [27:38] listen. I'm a parent of a daughter with special needs. In fact, her, her, she's turning six today, [27:45] which is why we're not there in person to be able to ask you this question. But in the last few years, [27:50] there's been a lot of conversations centering around education in the state of Georgia, [27:54] Georgia, between voucher programs and school choice and the Georgia Promise Scholarship. [27:59] But unfortunately, it feels like a lot of that conversation has not centered around special [28:04] needs education. So my question for you, as you think through what your administration would do [28:08] if elected, how would you address a lot of the challenges that exist in the special needs [28:13] education world? Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. First of all, happy birthday to your daughter. [28:22] What we need to make sure that we have in place for our children who are receiving a public education, [28:28] who have special needs, is to make sure that there are also wraparound services available to families. [28:34] We know that the challenges with our beautiful children with special needs doesn't just end when [28:40] they leave the classroom. Those challenges often extend into the home. We want to make sure that those [28:47] services are also extended outside of the classroom and to the families. And then most importantly, [28:53] making sure that the funding is in place, making sure that we have trained professionals who are there to [29:01] love, educate, and support our children and our families, and to make sure that if there are any gaps in [29:08] services that there is a designated person in that school who can help address those gaps and be the [29:16] liaison between the school and the state for additional services that may be needed to help [29:22] children like your daughter thrive. Thank you, Mayor Bottoms. Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. [29:27] Uh, Matthew, uh, thank you very much. I deal with a lot of special needs children and foster care, [29:33] and it's a very, very challenging thing for parents. It's just, it's just heartbreaking. And I really [29:39] appreciate what you and your wife are going through from that standpoint. That's the reason I [29:43] absolutely want to expand our health services for all special needs children. Our children are number [29:49] one priority for me, and special needs are definitely in there. Right now, our Medicaid provider [29:55] is paying 30% less for things like autism and other things, and I will not put up with that. Our [30:02] children need to be taken care of. These special needs kids need other services, mental health [30:08] services, teaching, specialty teaching, and so forth like that. When I'm governor, the special needs [30:14] children are going to go to the front of the line, not be in the back of the line. [30:17] Mr. Nosepo is a voter from DeKalb County, and she joins us here in the debate hall with our next question. [30:23] Nosepo. Federal funding cuts have significantly impacted Georgia. I am one of many black women who lost [30:30] their job due to cuts in federal funding that impacted the organization I worked for. Some states [30:36] have successfully sued the federal government and partially restored that funding while Georgians [30:40] have suffered. How would you make sure that Georgians receive their rightful share of federal funding? [30:46] Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Well, first of all, I'm sorry that you lost your job [30:51] from federal cuts funding. I know that's a very difficult time for you because I've been there. [30:57] From that standpoint, that's the reason I want to have a good relationship, no matter who's president [31:03] and which administration from that standpoint, in order that we can get all the money that we can get [31:09] for Georgia because Georgians are the number one priority, just like this. The thing I would do, [31:15] though, we're not going to be able to control Washington. D.C. does good things, they do bad things, [31:21] and it affects all of us. What I can control is other things, and that is to get you a good paying job, [31:27] to get you training for some other types of skill sets so that you have a chance to have an American [31:32] dream. I want to help you and anybody that's unemployed show them how to get trained and get [31:38] another job. That's going to be a number one priority for me. Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. [31:42] Now, Sebo, my opponent has said he wants to be Trump's favorite governor. He wants to be Trump [31:47] with a southern tone. He said there's not a single policy that he disagrees with Trump on. That includes [31:53] cuts to the CDC, where countless employees have been laid off. It includes cuts to our education [31:59] department, cuts to our veterans department, cuts to our housing department, cuts that have impacted [32:06] hard-working people like you. I will sue the federal government when appropriate. I will stand up to [32:14] Donald Trump when necessary. I'm not running to be his favorite governor. I'm running to work on behalf of [32:20] people like you, and there are so many people across this state who have lost their jobs directly [32:27] related to the policies coming from the Trump White House. Mr. Jackson, I'd like to give you 30 seconds to [32:34] to give a rebuttal. Thank you. Let me tell you something. I don't know anybody anything. Nobody's [32:41] ever told me what to do. My number one priority is Georgians. It's you. And I will stand up to anybody, [32:48] just like Brian Kemp has done. He works with both parties, both presidents, and he stands up when he [32:55] disagrees. I will do the same thing because nothing is more important than representing you and protecting [33:02] your interests. There's nobody that will tell me anything different. Candidates, thank you. That concludes this [33:08] segment, and we have to take one more break. Debate Night Live continues next. Don't go away. [33:13] And welcome back to Debate Night Live. This is the final segment in tonight's debate. Fulton County [33:18] voter Catherine is here with us in the debate hall, and she joins us now with our next question. Catherine. [33:24] Hi there. In Atlanta, I see a lot of untreated mental illness that drives crime because people are only [33:30] kept in the hospital or in jail for a couple of days after an incident and are released without [33:35] treatment. If elected, what would you do to help reduce safety issues that are related to mental [33:41] illness in our state? Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. Thank you for your question, Catherine. [33:46] Mental illness is an epidemic throughout this country. We have to make sure that people are aware [33:52] of the services that are available to treat those who are experiencing mental health challenges, [33:58] such as our 988 system that is not widely publicized within this state. [34:04] We also have to make sure that we are, when people have encounters with the criminal justice system, [34:10] that they are routed appropriately. If they are committing a non-violent crime, we want to make sure [34:17] that they are routed to the appropriate services so that they can have their issues addressed and it's not [34:24] a revolving door. We want to make sure that they are receiving continuous treatment, that they are assigned [34:32] to a caseworker. And most importantly, we have to make sure that there's trained staff. Law enforcement [34:38] has said repeatedly that mental health issues are a huge concern within their jails. We have to make [34:46] sure that we have staff available in our jails and our prisons. Thank you very much for that. Mr. Jackson, [34:52] it's your turn. 60 seconds. Well, thank you, Catherine. Mental health is a huge problem, especially in our [34:58] in our jails. Our sheriffs are overridden with. Our sheriffs should not be mental health professionals, [35:03] so I'm going to build more mental health bills abed so that we can address that. But let me give you [35:08] my view. There is absolutely nothing, nothing that's a higher priority and important more than a governor [35:18] keeping you safe. You cannot decide to take up for criminals over victims and police and keep people [35:28] safe. It is a disqualifying you as being governor. And I will never ever abandon you by pulling out [35:36] police when you need the protection the most. A bad mayor doesn't make for a good governor. Mayor Bottoms, [35:44] I'd like to give you 30 seconds for a rebuttal. Yes, I'm not sure who he's referring to, [35:50] but I can tell you that as mayor of Atlanta, we prioritize mental health services. We work very [35:56] closely with law enforcement to make sure that law enforcement had the resources that they needed. [36:02] In fact, I gave law enforcement their largest pay increase in the history of Atlanta. We also opened [36:09] a pre-arrest diversion program to address people who were experiencing mental health challenges to make [36:16] sure that they were assessed and receiving the appropriate treatment that they needed. Thank [36:22] you, Mayor Bottoms. We have a question now from Sergeant who is here with us, a Carroll County voter. [36:28] Sergeant, go ahead. Good evening. I live and serve in a small Georgia community where the distance [36:35] between economic growth on paper and in everyday life can be significant. How would you make sure [36:43] that Georgia's growth benefit communities outside the major metropolitan areas without asking rural [36:51] communities to bear the environmental infrastructure or economic cost of development while receiving too [36:59] little of its benefits? Sergeant, thank you very much for that question. Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. [37:05] Thank you, Sergeant. I've been all over Georgia, and here's what I know. You guys feel forgotten. You [37:12] think that the state capital just focuses on Atlanta and so forth. That's why I have a plan to help rural [37:18] Georgia. First of all, the food supply chain was broken during COVID. It hasn't been fixed. I will bring more [37:26] money to fix these processing centers and invest in rural Georgia, all over Georgia. I will also bring capital for [37:34] our farmers so that they can have cost-effective capital in order to build their equipment and plant trees [37:42] and do so forth like that. There would be nobody. I will also help on workforce development. All of our [37:48] farmers and agriculture are having problems getting the people, and so I'm going to be tying into high [37:53] schools and so forth from that standpoint. There is nobody that's going to support the rural Georgia [38:00] more than I am because I believe it's the best opportunity for growth and jobs in Georgia. [38:06] Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. Sergeant, it is one thing to go through a community and another thing [38:12] to go into a community. I've had an opportunity to go into countless communities across this state, [38:17] and what I've heard repeatedly are people saying we feel forgotten. I want to make sure that the economic [38:24] development that is being experienced in the metro area is spread statewide. I want to make sure that [38:30] we are providing incentives for companies to have a place and a space in communities outside of the metro [38:38] area. I've already begun having these conversations with leaders throughout this state, with business [38:44] leaders throughout this state. There is a tremendous amount of growth in the metro area, but the rest of the [38:51] state cannot be strong if the rest of the state is forgotten. We also have to make sure that we are [38:57] investing in infrastructure throughout the state so that it is more affordable for people to build [39:04] housing, for people to construct businesses in these communities, and so that they can all be [39:11] destination places for economic development. Thank you, Mayor Bottoms. This next question comes from Emma, [39:18] who is here with us tonight, a voter from Fulton County. Go ahead, Emma. Atlanta is now one of [39:23] the most surveilled cities in the world, and flock cameras can create a searchable record of where [39:28] ordinary people move, even when they aren't suspected of a crime. I feel like I can't step outside my door [39:35] without being under active surveillance, and I find this deeply unsettling. What specific limits would you [39:41] support to ensure that this technology doesn't normalize surveillance first and suspicion later at the [39:47] expense of due process and constitutional rights? Thank you for your question. Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. [39:55] Thank you, Emma. That is a concern for people throughout this state. We want to make sure that these cameras are [40:01] used only for lawful purposes, for very restricted purposes. We want to make sure that the personnel [40:08] who has access to this camera network only are accessing these cameras for cases that are necessary [40:18] to solve immediate or to address emergencies or to solve crimes. It may mean that we have to expand [40:26] search warrant, making a search warrant necessary to access these cameras, making sure that there is a log [40:33] that is audited frequently when these cameras are accessed, and making sure that we are not [40:40] unnecessarily retaining the footage in these cameras. Reducing the time that this footage is retained [40:48] helps make it less likely to be misused, and then increasing penalties, not just firing someone who uses it, [40:56] misuses it, but make sure that they are being held criminally accountable. Thank you, Mayor Bottoms. Mr. [41:01] Jackson, you have 60 seconds. I really feel bad that you field surveyed and your privacy [41:11] ruled against. From my standpoint, I come out of health care, and we have field level security at [41:20] every level in health care. There is a way for us to have technology to make sure that nobody has rights [41:27] to it unless they have a right to it. We just have to tighten up the restrictions that we have right [41:32] now. Nobody should be surveilled unnecessarily or abused. Like I said, these cameras can help, [41:40] but we should never abuse it for the sake of enforcing the law. Follow-up question, Mayor Bottoms. [41:45] You talked about a moratorium on data centers. What about something like that for flock cameras and [41:50] surveillance equipment? I'm not opposed to a moratorium on flock cameras, the installation of new flock [41:58] cameras. We have to make sure that the policy is in line with the technology. And to the extent that [42:04] it is being misused and people are feeling as if their privacy has been invaded, then we need to make [42:11] sure that we are taking a comprehensive look of how as to how we move forward as a state. Mr. Jackson, [42:17] I want to ask you the same question. Any circumstances under which you would say these cameras should be [42:21] shut off? Based off today, I would not put a moratorium on it because I don't want crime to go [42:26] up and us to lose that. But I am telling you, there's 15 people at Georgia Tech that can solve [42:32] this in one week. There's no reason these cameras ought to be abused and there shouldn't be security [42:38] so that they can be used for lawful purposes. So no, I wouldn't put a moratorium on it. I fixed the problem. [42:44] I want to make make it clear. I am not asking that they be shut off. I am asking for moratorium on the [42:51] installation of new cameras. Thank you for clarifying that. Let's move on now to our next question, [42:57] which comes to us from John, who is a voter from Gwinnett County. Go ahead, John. [43:01] Thank you. Good evening. I have 18 and I'm a 16 year old. And I'm really concerned about their ability [43:07] to get a job and a home due to AI threats and high interest rates. I'm curious, what are your plans [43:15] as governor for young people over the next four years? Thank you for that. And Mr. Jackson, [43:20] you have 60 seconds. Well, John, I don't envy you. I remember having 18, 16 year old children. So it's a [43:28] daunting concept for you. So let me tell you, I solved this with kids that are aging out of foster care. [43:35] And I talked to the CEO of technology school of Georgia, and he was telling me that he could help [43:40] some of our children. Some don't have a high school degree that, you know, at 19 years old, [43:44] that they could have them learning how to be a truck driver and make $80,000 in 18 months. [43:50] So what I want to do is give them these other options. I don't know about you, but my plumber [43:55] drives a Mercedes. So electricians, HVAC, agriculture, we need to introduce these jobs in the ninth grade. [44:04] Not wait till they're out of high school and so forth. Also, I don't want them to be coming out [44:10] with a pile of debt and going through the technical schools and so forth are great paying jobs. If they [44:16] want to go on to have a four year degree, they can do that. And I encourage that. But that's what I [44:20] want to do is show them how to get a good paying job. Thank you for that. Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 [44:25] seconds. John, I have two 16 year olds, an 18 year old and a 24 year old. And there are several topics [44:33] that come up whenever I move around the state and I talk to young people. One, concerns about the lack [44:39] of access to mental health care. Secondly, will AI replace their opportunities for the future? And then [44:46] third, debt, college. Is it worth it? For our students who want to attend college and still want to pursue [44:53] the dream of a four year degree, I would like for us to offer free technical and community college [44:59] in the state of Georgia to help relieve some of that burden. I also want to make sure that AI [45:05] is an additive and not a replacement for our young people to the extent that they can be trained for [45:11] jobs in that field and they can learn how to maximize that technology. We want to make sure that [45:18] resource is available. And then lastly, mental health services. We want to make sure they have access to [45:24] all the services they need to be healthy and whole. Thank you, Mayor Bottoms. Our next question comes [45:30] from Greg who is here with us tonight. He is a voter from Cobb County. Go ahead, Greg. Good evening. I'm a [45:36] poll manager who signed up to make sure the elections are secure and I've noticed the divisiveness and [45:41] concerns around the election process from voters. What are your current opinions on the security of the [45:47] election? And what changes would you make? Mayor Bottoms, you have 60 seconds. Thank you, Greg, for your [45:57] service. I am deeply concerned about Donald Trump's rhetoric around our elections. We already know [46:05] that there are FBI agents on the ground in Georgia right now in Fulton County monitoring our or tampering [46:13] with our elections. We all saw the raid of the Fulton County Election Office. Again, another policy that my [46:19] opponent does not disagree with. I have proposed the Johnson Lewis Voting Rights Act for Georgia that [46:28] will expand access to the right to vote. It will make Election Day a state holiday. It will expand the day, [46:36] the number of days and the hours that people can vote, including weekends and evenings, and also expand [46:43] the ID that can be used to register to vote, such as a student campus ID, a verified student campus [46:51] ID. The right to vote is sacred and we know that in our democracy it can be taken away in an instant [46:59] and we're watching that attempt in real time. Mr. Jackson, you have 60 seconds. Well, first of all, [47:07] I appreciate your concern and I understand that. I really do. But I believe Governor Kemp did a great [47:13] job in 2021 to pass a bill that was easy to vote and hard to cheat. Our last two elections have been good [47:22] from that standpoint. We haven't had any problems. I don't expect one this election. And also the main [47:29] thing about the the election law is that we always in health care. I have something called continuing [47:35] quality improvement. We never should give up on making sure that our software is safe and that it's [47:42] secure and that we have the safest. People need to feel comfortable that the elections are fair and I [47:49] will always make sure that we continue to improve. But right now I am comfortable that Governor Kemp has [47:56] passed a law that is working. In fact, I think there's more Democrats that's voted in the last [48:00] two elections than any time in history. Follow-up question for you both, actually. Mr. Jackson, [48:06] you first. There's a story in the news about the state election board asking the Department of [48:11] Justice to investigate and perhaps even get involved in the upcoming elections just next month. What are [48:17] your feelings about that? Would you be okay with the Justice Department overseeing and getting involved [48:23] with Georgia elections? I would not. I don't think that's necessary unless Governor Kemp thinks it's [48:30] necessary. I'm unaware of any reason that we need to have anybody do an investigation of this election. I've [48:36] heard of nothing like that. Now, Governor Kemp has more information than I do. He would make that decision and [48:42] he always makes the right decision when it comes to this. So from my standpoint, I don't think it's necessary. [48:47] Thank you, sir. Mayor Bottoms? Yes. My opponent has said that the National Guard will be called in [48:53] during this election. So I'm not sure what national emergency he is projecting. But I do want to [49:00] eliminate that state election board that has gone rogue and has been a disaster for the state of Georgia. [49:07] I also want to make sure that we increase security for people like Greg who are giving of their time to [49:14] help protect our right to vote. Mr. Jackson, would you like to clarify your statements on the National [49:19] Guard? I've never suggested that we have the National Guard to come in on this election, period. That's just a [49:25] complete falsehood. You know, look, here's what I want to do. I want to be a uniter, not a divider. I [49:32] don't want to call people names. I have found out that you can't be successful in calling people names and [49:38] demonizing them because of their success. I want to work with everybody. I called Mayor Dickens and [49:45] told him that I will work with him because he has solved a lot of problems. And I will not talk in [49:51] public about him. I'll talk to him directly so that we can be more productive. Mayor Bottoms, [49:56] any response to that? Yes. He said that the National Guard would be called in. You all can pull the tape on [50:03] that. Maybe he's forgotten that he said it, but he said it. All right. Well, that will conclude [50:09] tonight's gubernatorial debate between Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson. Early voting begins one [50:16] week from today on October 13th. Election day is November 3rd. It's coming. I'm Rick Fulbaum. To learn [50:24] more about the candidates and for more details on tonight's debate, log on to atlantanewsfirst.com [50:30] slash debate. And don't forget to join us this Thursday night at 630 for the U.S. Senate debate [50:38] between incumbent Democrat John Ossoff and his Republican challenger Congressman Mike Collins. [50:44] Again, our coverage begins Thursday night at 630 on this gray station. And that'll do it for us. Thanks [50:51] so much for joining us for this gubernatorial debate. Have a great night.