As Georgia enters the second week of early in-person voting, a new survey from a left-leaning firm is shedding new light on two of the state’s marquee races.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has amassed a double digit lead over Democratic rival Stacey Abrams, 53% to 43%, according to a new poll from Data For Progress. Kemp’s showing is above the 50%+1 threshold required to avoid a runoff.
The race for Senate remains a statistical tie, with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock at 48% and Republican challenger Herschel Walker at 47%, well within the survey’s margin of error.
One of the biggest reasons for the gap between the two races: African-American voters. Abrams earned 79% of Black voters polled, while Kemp earned 15%. Warnock, meanwhile, enjoys a wider 86%-10% lead over Walker among Black voters. It’s one of several surveys showing Abrams lagging behind Warnock in the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituency.
The economy continues to be the biggest issue among Georgia voters. 51% say they are concerned about inflation, with abortion access taking a back seat at a distant 15%.
You can read more about the poll here.
With the first week of early voting now complete, the state is already breaking turnout records for a midterm election.
Some 729,029 people cast ballots Monday through Friday, far surpassing the 488,177 people voted during the same period in the 2018 midterm election.
The high turnout suggests increased interest in this year’s elections. The governor’s office and control of Congress are up for grabs in November, along with a handful of competitive statewide races ranging from Attorney General to Secretary of State.
Early voting will end on November 4. Voters looking to apply for an absentee ballot have until October 28 to do so.