Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican challenger Rick Jackson are effectively tied in the race for governor of Georgia, according to a final pre-election poll released by InsiderAdvantage.
The survey shows Bottoms and Jackson at 49% each, separated by 0.3 percentage points, with Bottoms at 49.03% and Jackson at 49.0%. Only 2% of likely Georgia voters remain undecided in the gubernatorial contest, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
The results suggest a high probability of a narrow outcome that could trigger a runoff. Matt Towery, co-founder and chairman of InsiderAdvantage, said, "For once, I have nothing to say except please don’t make us come back to poll a runoff which, with write-in candidates, could theoretically take place."
The poll was conducted for James Magazine between Saturday and Monday, surveying 2,500 likely voters via text messaging and panels weighted for race, gender, age, and political affiliation. It carries a margin of error of plus or minus 1.96 percentage points.
Who is leading in the Georgia governor race polls?
While the governor's race is a dead heat, the Georgia Senate race 2026 shows a clearer gap. According to the InsiderAdvantage poll, Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff leads Republican Mike Collins 53% to 46%, with only 1% of surveyed voters undecided.
The release of this data marks the end of Matt Towery's 26-year career in polling, as the firm will not conduct further public surveys. The firm plans to publish top-line data tabs following the release, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
New Jersey Senate election focuses on national climate
In New Jersey, incumbent Senator Cory Booker is seeking a third full term against Republican challenger Justin Murphy, a former deputy mayor of Tabernacle in southern New Jersey.
The candidates met for a debate in early October at Rider University, hosted by the New Jersey Globe. After winning the Republican primary earlier this year, Murphy campaigned online and focused on affordability and the rising cost of living.
Murphy urged voters to break a long streak of Democratic control in the state's Senate seats. According to ABC7 New York, Murphy said he was asking voters to do something they had not done since 1972 by sending a Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate, adding that it had been too long in his opinion.
Senator Booker focused his campaign on bipartisan cooperation and opposition to the current administration. "I work on both sides of the aisle and I bring people together to get things done and deliver for the state," Booker said.
Booker further characterized the presidency as "reckless" and "out of control," stating that a chaotic and cruel president had attacked the state by throwing hundreds of thousands of people off their healthcare and driving up costs through the war in Iran, according to ABC7 New York.
Will name recognition decide the New Jersey race?
Ashley Koning, director of the Rutgers University Eagleton Center, told ABC7 New York that Murphy has a relative lack of visibility and name recognition compared to Booker. Koning attributed this to lopsided funding between the two candidates.
However, Koning suggested that national political sentiment toward the Trump administration may be a stronger driver for voter turnout than the individual candidates. She stated that the national climate is galvanizing enough for voters to express their views on the administration at the booth.
Koning stated that Booker is likely to win the race easily, though she noted the campaign was still active.
The final outcomes for these races will be determined as votes are counted this Tuesday, Nov. 3.