On Saturday, a crowded slate of candidates for Georgia governor filed into Georgia State University’s Student Center East Speakers Auditorium in downtown Atlanta for a town hall hosted by local alumni chapters of Kappa Alpha Psi. Billed by organizers as a nonpartisan chance for voters to compare multiple platforms side by side as the race to replace Gov. Brian Kemp heats up, the afternoon forum drew a steady stream of Atlanta-area residents and gave contenders a tight window to talk cost of living, education and public safety.
Forum details
The forum ran from about 12:30 p.m. into the midafternoon and was moderated by Russ Spencer of FOX 5 Atlanta. Organizers stressed that this was a town hall, not a formal debate or a campaign rally, and they asked attendees to skip signs and campaign literature. Admission was free, although the flyer encouraged people to reserve seats ahead of time.
Who was on the stage
Promotional materials and local postings showed roughly 10 names on the event flyer, with both Democrats and Republicans invited. The flyer listed Democrats including Keisha Lance Bottoms, Jason Esteves, Derrick Jackson and Mike Thurmond, alongside Republicans Burt Jones, Clark Dean and Gregg Kirkpatrick. Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan also appeared on the materials after switching parties, according to event publicity compiled by local chapters and reported by The Covington News.
Where this fits in the race
The forum is one of several public stops this spring as candidates jockey for position in the open-seat contest to replace the term-limited Kemp, a dynamic national outlets have been tracking closely. The Associated Press has followed the expanding field and the high-profile names on both sides of the ballot. Georgia’s statewide primary is set for May 19, 2026, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s election calendar.
Organizers framed the forum as voter education
Elder J.B. Brockman, chair of the organizing committee, told organizers and media that the goal was a civil, issue-focused conversation. “This is a non-combative environment where issues take center stage as opposed to candidates attacking one another,” the committee said in event materials cited by The Covington News. The agenda highlighted cost of living, Medicaid expansion, education and public safety as key topics.
What to watch next
Candidates are expected to move from campus forums into a packed calendar of events across the state before the May 19 primary, with fundraising pushes and ad spending likely to pick up speed. Some campaigns are already under scrutiny for how much they have raised and how much candidates are willing to loan themselves; for example, AP has reported on large early loans and fundraising moves by leading Republican contenders. For Atlanta voters, the Georgia State town hall offered a compact in-person look at where the hopefuls stand before the race really starts to dominate the calendar.
