U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Rep. Mike Collins faced off in their first televised debate Thursday, Oct. 8, trading sharp personal attacks while disputing the effects of tariffs, Medicaid cuts and U.S. policy toward Iran. The debate, held in Georgia and broadcast statewide, put the Democratic incumbent and his Republican challenger before a panel of journalists. Georgia is a closely watched battleground: Ossoff is the only Democratic senator defending a seat this fall in a state Donald Trump won in 2024, and the race could influence which party controls the Senate. Ossoff repeatedly pressed Collins to defend his support for Trump administration policies, including tariffs and cuts to Medicaid. He argued tariffs are driving up costs for Georgia families and said Medicaid reductions threaten rural health care providers. Collins blamed inflation on the Biden administration and argued that the Affordable Care Act placed pressure on rural hospitals through federal requirements. The candidates also clashed over the conflict in Iran. Ossoff called it a disaster and criticized Collins for backing the administration’s actions. Collins said Trump was entitled to act to prevent Iranian leaders from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Ossoff also said the conflict was hurting Georgia farmers and called for an end to the war. On immigration, Collins said the southern border was secure and accused Ossoff of supporting open borders. Ossoff said he had worked across party lines on border security, while condemning federal agents’ use of force against citizens. The candidates also disputed voting requirements: Collins argued voters should have to show identification, while Ossoff invoked civil-rights leader John Lewis in criticizing Collins’ position. Questions about surveillance cameras and privacy drew a more limited agreement. Ossoff backed federal privacy protections against misuse of automated license-plate readers and cameras operated by Flock Safety. Collins said the cameras should not be deployed if they were not needed. The debate repeatedly turned personal. Collins called Ossoff a “trust fund kid” and accused him of being a radical. Ossoff accused Collins of promoting neo-Nazi content and said Collins was under federal investigation over the alleged misuse of taxpayer funds. Collins rejected the allegations as “bogus.” The debate did not establish the merits of either claim. Both candidates used their closing remarks to question their opponent’s fitness for office. Ossoff accused Collins of bringing dishonor to Georgia; Collins urged voters to send him to the Senate and attacked Ossoff’s political alliances. The debate underscored the national stakes of the Georgia contest, with the candidates offering sharply different arguments on costs, health care, immigration and the use of federal power. It also gave voters an early public comparison of the two campaigns ahead of the fall election.