With little conflict, race for Georgia's 3rd is about style over substance

The five candidates seeking a deep-red U.S. House seat in west Georgia reached more consensus than conflict as they met for the first time in a debate over the state’s most competitive congressional contest.

Each backed stricter immigration controls, abortion limits and more financial support for Israel amid its war against Hamas. Each opposed sending increased military aid to Ukraine as it battles to fend off Russia’s invasion.

And each raised their hand when asked if they thought Donald Trump was the “rightful” winner of the 2020 election in Georgia, echoing disproven conspiracy theories fueled by the former president’s election fraud lies.

The Atlanta Press Club debate on Sunday highlighted an ongoing dynamic in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson. There’s not much policy difference between the GOP contenders, making the race as much about style as substance.

The May 21 contest for the district, which stretches from metro Atlanta’s western suburbs to the Alabama state line, was drawn by Republicans for a GOP victory. With a June runoff likely, the top contenders tried to mobilize their supporters without tearing down their rivals.

At the center of the contest is Brian Jack, a 34-year-old longtime Trump deputy who has the former president’s endorsement along with support from other key MAGA officials. He used the debate to highlight his pro-Trump bonafides while steering clear of political infighting.

“People remember just how successful they were when Donald trump was president and we were pushing forth his agenda over those four years,” Jack said, one of a number of times he linked himself to key parts of Trump’s agenda.

Jack’s opponents largely steered clear of attacks they’ve employed on the campaign trail labeling him a creature of Washington or criticizing his work for another former boss, ex-U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Instead, they focused mostly on their own messages, with only the occasional veiled jab at Jack or ex-Senate Majority Leader Mike Dugan, who is also performing solidly in scattered polls.

Dugan leaned into his record as one of the chamber’s top Republicans, taking credit for GOP-backed measures that included a rewrite of voting rules, new abortion limits, conservative education measures and an expansion of gun rights backed by Gov. Brian Kemp and other party leaders.

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