ATLANTA – Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has opened a seven-point lead on Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams, while U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., is tied with GOP challenger Herschel Walker, according to a new poll.
The survey, conducted by the progressive think tank and polling firm Data for Progress, shows Kemp leading Abrams 51% to 44% in their second race for governor. Kemp narrowly defeated Abrams in 2018.
Warnock, who is running for a first full term in the Senate, and Walker, the University of Georgia football icon, each polled 46% of the vote.
In both races, a Libertarian candidate is polling in the single digits.
The poll also found President Joe Biden well underwater with Georgia voters. The Democrat is viewed favorably by 42% of voters surveyed, while 57% hold an unfavorable view of the president.
Former President Donald Trump did somewhat better, with a 47% favorable rating and 51% viewing the Republican unfavorably.
Just more than half of those surveyed – 51% – said their biggest concern heading into the November elections is addressing economic ills including inflation. Well below the economy were the 17% of voters who said they were most concerned that the Democratic Party is moving too far left.
Next on the priority list came the need to protect access to legal and safe abortions, the most important issue for 16% of voters surveyed. Another 14% said they’re most concerned that the Republican Party is moving too far right.
Data for Progress interviewed 1,006 likely Georgia voters between Sept. 16 and Sept. 20. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and voting history.
The poll had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3%.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.