Gubernatorial Debate Falls Apart as Tensions Rise in Georgia Race

A planned gubernatorial debate in Atlanta collapsed Tuesday after Republican candidate Rick Jackson backed out of an in-studio matchup with Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms. The cancellation set off a tense scene outside the 11Alive studios, where backers of both candidates gathered and tempers flared. Things escalated when Jackson supporters showed up at a Democratic Party of Georgia news conference. Party chair Charlie Bailey criticized Jackson for turning down Bottoms' invitation to take part in six statewide debates, noting he has only committed to a single joint event, an October town hall. Jackson's campaign says it is prioritizing direct contact with voters over debate stages. He has also formally declined to appear at Atlanta Press Club debates set for Oct. 12 and 13, though organizers say it's unclear if that could change. Separately, Georgia's Senate race heated up as Sen. Jon Ossoff held an Atlanta press conference calling on Republican opponent Mike Collins to disclose communications between his team and white nationalist figures. The demand follows revelations that a former Collins aide had contact with extremist figures. The Collins campaign disputed the characterization and pointed to Ossoff's own political allies in response.