Georgia Senate Race 2026: Ossoff Leads Collins by 7 Points in New Poll

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff leads Republican Rep. Mike Collins in the Georgia Senate race 2026, according to a Quantus Insights poll released Monday, October 19, 2026, and cited by The Center Square. Meanwhile, the races for governor and lieutenant governor remain closely contested.

• Senate: Ossoff leads Collins 52% to 45% in a survey of 755 likely voters, with a margin of error of ±3.8 percentage points.
• Governor and lieutenant governor: Republicans Rick Jackson and Greg Dolezal hold narrow polling leads, but both races are within the margin of error.
• Early voting: As of October 19, approximately 948,700 Georgians had already voted, representing more than 12% of registered voters, according to the Secretary of State.

Why it matters: Georgia is one of the country's most closely watched battleground states, and the poll suggests that some voters may support candidates from different parties depending on the race. The results highlight differences in support among independent and suburban voters ahead of the election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Georgia Senate Race 2026: Ossoff Holds a 7-Point Lead

According to Quantus Insights, Ossoff receives 52% support compared with 45% for Collins. The seven-point gap is larger than the reported ±3.8-percentage-point margin of error for individual candidate estimates, although uncertainty around the difference between candidates is greater. The survey reflects the views of 755 likely voters and should not be treated as a prediction of the election outcome.

Georgia Governor and Lieutenant Governor Races Remain Close

In the governor's race, Republican Rick Jackson receives 48.2% support, compared with 46.6% for Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms. In the lieutenant governor's race, Republican Greg Dolezal leads Democrat Josh McLaurin 47.3% to 46.6%. Both differences fall within the survey's margin of error, meaning the results do not establish a statistically clear lead in either contest.

What Explains the Differences Between Georgia's Races?

Quantus Insights reports that voters from both major parties are largely supporting their respective candidates. According to the polling firm, Republican candidates receive between 90% and 95% support from Republican voters, while Democratic candidates receive between 92% and 96% support from Democrats. The firm identifies independents and suburban voters as the main sources of variation, with those groups showing different levels of support for the incumbent senator and Democratic candidates competing for open statewide offices.

According to Quantus Insights' analysis, Jon Ossoff's standing as an incumbent may help explain why he polls ahead of the Democratic candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. The results also show that the two open-seat races remain competitive, with both parties maintaining strong support among their own voters and independents playing an important role in the polling differences.

Campaign Activity Intensifies Ahead of Georgia Elections

Both parties are bringing prominent national figures to Georgia. Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to campaign in Atlanta for Democratic candidates on Wednesday, October 28. President Donald Trump recently campaigned for Republicans in Dalton, and according to Georgia Republicans, he is expected to return Saturday, October 24, for an event in Macon.

For more on the Senate race, read our coverage of the final debate between Ossoff and Collins. You can also see the latest coverage of early voting in Georgia.

Georgia Early Voting Turnout

According to the Georgia Secretary of State, approximately 948,700 Georgians had cast their ballots as of Monday afternoon, October 19, representing more than 12% of registered voters. With approximately 7.5 million registered voters statewide, most eligible participants had not yet voted at that point.

How to Vote in Georgia's 2026 Elections

In-person early voting is already underway. Voters can find their polling places and verify their registration status through the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page. The general election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Sources: The Center Square; Georgia Secretary of State, My Voter Page. Data consulted on October 20, 2026.