Incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is in a unique position.
Ossoff is the only Democratic senator up for reelection in a state President Trump won in 2024, and he's running against a Trump-endorsed candidate with a complicated history.
Still, Ossoff has maintained a strong lead in polls and now, a month out from the start of early voting in Georgia, his lead only seems to be growing.
Ossoff is running against Republican Representative Mike Collins from Georgia's 10th congressional district, an area that includes a large section of the middle of the state. Collins already serves in Congress, but his first term in Washington hasn't been without conflict. Collins is under an ongoing ethics investigation from the Office of Congressional Conduct
in the U.S. House, and has been accused of misusing government and taxpayer funds to provide a salary to an employee in his office who did no work.
Currently, he faces criticism for his alleged ties to white supremacist figures and repeatedly denying the results of the 2020 election.
Ossoff, on the other hand, has been criticized for not publicly distancing himself from left-wing figures like Hasan Piker, but has still been floated as a possible 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, despite repeatedly saying he would not run.
It seems Georgia, now more than ever, is a true battleground state and control of Congress come November could fall to Peach State voters.
Ossoff leads — even if Collins picks up undecided voters
In a poll published by Rasmussen Reports on Sept. 15, Ossoff has a strong lead in the Senate race, and it's a gap Collins may not be able to close even by convincing undecided voters.
Ossoff earned 51% support among likely Georgia voters, while Collins would bring home 42% if the election were held today, according to the poll. There were still 6% of undecided voters, but even if they all voted for Collins, Ossoff would still take home the win, the poll shows.
Ossoff is popular across races, with 34% support from white voters, 84% support from Black voters, 57% support from Hispanic voters and 55% support from those who identify with a different minority group. Collins, on the other hand, had majority support from white voters, 60%, but only 12% support from Black voters, 31% support from Hispanic voters and 34% support from other minority groups.
Ossoff leads by 15 points among women, 55% to 40%, while Collins leads by just 2 points among men, 47% to 45%.
Collins does take home the majority of support from voters over the age of 65, with an 18 point lead over Ossoff, 59% to 40%.
The largest difference, however, comes from voters who are earning more than $200,000 a year. Ossoff leads Collins by 23 points for this demographic, according to the poll.
What is top issue for Georgia voters?
Previous polls from across the state have all said the same thing: the economy is the top issue in Georgia.
About 40% listed the economy as a top priority in surveys by AARP and Fox News.
Inflation and the cost of living was the top issue for survey takers from the UGA School of Public and International Affairs. The economy and jobs, as well as taxes were also listed as top concerns.
One third of poll takers for State Navigate said they believe Georgia's economy has gotten "much worse" over the last year, with a majority of Wick poll takers agreeing the economy is getting worse overall.
Issues considered of less importance in this election were crime, gun control, the environment, climate change and abortion.
When does voting begin in Georgia?
Early voting in Georgia will begin on Oct. 13 and run until Oct. 30. Voting times and locations may vary between precincts, so check your My Voter Page for specific information for your area.
The registration deadline for the general election is Oct. 5. Georgia voters can check if they are registered here.
The general election will be held on Nov. 3. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all voting locations.
If a runoff is needed, it will be held on Dec. 1 with early voting taking place between Nov. 23 and Nov. 25.
Contributing: Miguel Legoas, USA TODAY Deep South Connect
Irene Wright covers midterm races in Georgia as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ossoff's lead in Georgia remains strong one month out from early vote
