Updated October 21, 2026 at 3:32 PM EDT
Two weeks before Election Day, Georgia voters are choosing between Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff and Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a closely watched Senate race. In the governor's race, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms faces Republican Rick Jackson.
As part of Morning Edition's reporting ahead of the midterm elections, NPR's Steve Inskeep knocked on doors and spoke with more than 20 voters in and around Marietta, which is located north of Atlanta.
Railroad tracks run through Marietta, as they have since before the Civil War. On one side of the tracks is a precinct that voted heavily for Kamala Harris in 2024. On the other is a precinct that overwhelmingly backed Donald Trump.
Inskeep's conversations with voters raised a central question for November: Who turns out in greater numbers — voters willing to hold steady or those determined to make a change?
Joseph Ray, who works in clinical research and plans to vote for Democrats, worries about the loss of civility in public life and the "very negative, very cruel rhetoric" coming from the White House.
A block and a half away, Marti Cobb, a therapist, says President Trump has done everything right, including the war in Iran. She argues that Americans are too focused on immediate costs to see the longer-term benefits of his decisions.
"How much a tank gas costs today is of critical importance to them. They really can't look ahead. Trump can," she said.
From the war in Iran to Trump's policies, Georgia voters shared what issues are shaping their decisions ahead of the midterms with Morning Edition's Inskeep.
Listen to the full reporting by clicking on the blue button above.
This story was adapted for the web by majd al-waheidi and edited by Treye Green.
Copyright 2026 NPR
