ATLANTA — Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms used Monday’s Atlanta Press Club governor debate to challenge Republican Rick Jackson’s decision not to attend, speaking beside an empty lectern set aside for her opponent at the Georgia Public Broadcasting studio. Jackson, a billionaire health care executive, said earlier in the day that voters—not the media—were his priority. Bottoms accused him of avoiding scrutiny and pointed to his private jet as she criticized his absence. The Press Club said Jackson was the first major-party candidate for governor to skip a general-election debate in the organization’s debate series. Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, used her solo appearance to promote an agenda focused on lowering costs, investing in schools and expanding Medicaid. She said she would reduce Georgia’s reliance on Gov. Brian Kemp’s Pathways health program and direct more public spending toward residents’ needs. She also pledged to restore abortion rights and oppose policies advanced by President Donald Trump. On public safety, Bottoms called for restricting Georgia State Patrol pursuits to the most serious circumstances, such as cases involving suspected violent crimes. She said motorists should not be endangered over minor violations, citing a broken taillight as an example. The debate was part of the first day of the Press Club’s statewide candidate series. In a separate Public Service Commission debate, Democrat Sheila Edwards supported a moratorium on data centers, while Republican Josh Tolbert said communities should have a say in projects and that utility customers should not bear their costs. The candidates also argued over energy-sector experience and how the commission should represent consumers. Monday’s events included other statewide contests, with an empty lectern also reported in a Public Service Commission race. The Press Club scheduled further debates Tuesday, including contests for school superintendent, agriculture commissioner, insurance commissioner and labor commissioner, followed by a U.S. Senate debate between Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff. Bottoms and Jackson had appeared together the previous week at a town hall-style event where Georgia voters asked questions, but candidates were not allowed to question one another. Monday’s format gave Bottoms a direct opportunity to make Jackson’s absence a central point of her campaign message.