Candidates for Georgia governor present to manufacturers’ forum

Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan speaks at the Georgia Association of Manufacturers Gubernatorial Forum on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

With weeks to go before Georgia’s primary election, nearly all the leading candidates for governor attended a forum Tuesday in hopes of distinguishing themselves from their competitors.

Only Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat and former Atlanta mayor, skipped the event at The Battery Atlanta hosted by the Georgia Association of Manufacturers.

Republicans Chris Carr, Brad Raffensperger, Burt Jones and Rick Jackson delivered messages about their support for industry. So did Democrats Derrick Jackson, Michael Thurmond, Jason Esteves and Geoff Duncan, while also calling for more government spending, especially in health care.