More than 1,400 spectators filled downtown Athens’ Georgia Theatre on Sunday for a joint rally held by U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, one month before early voting kicks off in Georgia.
The Democratic nominees addressed cost of living, Medicaid expansion, and economic fall-out from the U.S. entering war with Iran.
Ossoff characterized controversies surrounding his Republican opponent U.S. Rep. Mike Collins as evidence of pervasive “corruption” dominating current American politics.
"Mike Collins is a known bigot under federal investigation for the illegal misuse of tax dollars, widely known for his poor character and low integrity, and unfit for any elected office in the United States," Ossoff said.
Bottoms used her stage time to dial in criticisms of Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson, particularly over the healthcare executive’s $1 billion contract with the state made to settle claims that his companies exploited workers and breached labor laws.
Bottoms addressed Jackson directly, saying, "I am calling on you today to reveal every single investment that you have."
The campaign rally overlapped with a tour Rep. Mike Collins held of a nearby hospital, where he joined Trump administration official Dr. Mehmet Oz of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to promote $219 million in new federal funding for Georgia healthcare through a Trump-backed tax-and-spending law.
Ossoff and other Democrats argue that Georgia’s decision not to fully expand Medicaid has left hundreds of thousands uninsured and contributed to the closure or reduction of services at dozens of hospitals.
Early voting in Georgia begins October 13.
