佐治亚参议员首场辩论：奥索夫与柯林斯就关税、医疗激烈交锋
佐治亚州联邦参议员竞选中，现任民主党参议员乔恩·奥索夫（Jon Ossoff）与共和党挑战者、联邦众议员迈克·柯林斯（Mike Collins）10月8日晚举行了首场电视辩论。这场由亚特兰大第一新闻（Atlanta News First）与格雷传媒（Gray Media）主办、时长一小时的辩论中，两人就经济、医疗、数据中心、关税、边境安全及伊朗战争等议题针锋相对，全州记者轮番提问。
关税政策成为交锋焦点。奥索夫表示，如果民主党重夺参议院，将废除特朗普总统的关税政策，并把汽油价格上涨归咎于伊朗冲突。柯林斯则为关税辩护，称关税让美国与中国等国家“站在同一起跑线”，并把消费成本上涨归咎于前总统拜登时期的经济政策。
医疗政策是另一主战场。奥索夫承诺民主党将逆转“大而美法案”（One Big Beautiful Bill Act）中的医疗补助（Medicaid）削减，并指出柯林斯选区内一家医院关闭了产科，当地产妇如今要开车一小时才能就医。柯林斯反击称，该法案的乡村医疗项目首年就给佐治亚州乡村医院拨款2.18亿美元，并把医疗费用上涨归咎于2010年通过的《平价医疗法案》，称该法案实施首年他自己的保费上涨了62%。
辩论中也不乏人身攻击。奥索夫指责柯林斯支持推翻2020年大选结果的努力，并批评他不支持《拯救法案》（SAVE Act）；柯林斯此前曾公开表示相信2020年大选“被偷走”。奥索夫还称柯林斯的偏执行为及其与白人至上主义者的关联“给佐治亚州带来耻辱”。
这场参议员竞选被视为决定参议院控制权的关键战场。选举预测机构萨巴托“水晶球”（Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball）近几周已将预测调整为看好奥索夫获胜；有共和党人建议把竞选资源转往其他州，但柯林斯阵营否认资源被抽走，称参议院共和党仍有百万美元级别的广告投放。
两人定于10月13日（周二）再战一场——亚特兰大新闻俱乐部“劳德米尔克-杨辩论系列”。佐治亚州提前投票同样于10月13日开始，大选日为11月3日。
Georgia Senate rivals Ossoff and Collins clash on tariffs, healthcare in first debate
The first U.S. Senate debate between Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff and Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins was held Thursday night in Georgia. In the hour-long debate hosted by Atlanta News First and Gray Media, with journalists from across the state posing questions, the candidates sparred over the economy, healthcare, data centers, tariffs, border security, and the war in Iran.
Tariff policy emerged as a flashpoint. Ossoff argued that Democrats would repeal President Trump's tariffs if they regain control of the Senate, and blamed the conflict in Iran for driving up gasoline prices. Collins defended the tariffs, stating they create a level playing field with nations like China, and attributed rising consumer costs to the economic policies of former President Joe Biden.
Healthcare policy was another central battleground. Ossoff pledged that Democrats would reverse Medicaid cuts established through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and pointed to a hospital in Collins' district that shut down its labor and delivery unit — noting that mothers in the area must now drive an hour to access care. Collins countered by highlighting the Act's rural health program, which he said added $218 million as a first-year allocation to Georgia's rural hospitals, and blamed the Affordable Care Act, signed into law in 2010, for rising healthcare costs — citing a 62 percent increase in his own insurance premiums during its first year.
The debate also featured personal attacks. Ossoff accused Collins of supporting efforts to overturn the 2020 election and criticized him for not supporting the SAVE Act; Collins has previously stated he believes the 2020 election was stolen. Ossoff characterized Collins as bringing dishonor to the state through personal bigotry and ties to white nationalists.
The Georgia Senate race is viewed as a key battleground for control of the upper chamber. Prognosticators including Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball have shifted predictions to favor an Ossoff win in recent weeks. Some Republicans have suggested moving campaign resources to other states, though the Collins campaign denies any diversion, citing million-dollar ad buys from Senate Republicans.
Ossoff and Collins are scheduled to meet again Tuesday, Oct. 13, for the Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series. Early voting in Georgia also begins Tuesday, Oct. 13, with Election Day on Nov. 3.
图片来源：DXR 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）
