Rick Jackson Wins GOP Runoff for Georgia Governor

Rick Jackson, a billionaire healthcare executive with a compelling personal history, has won the Republican runoff for Georgia governor. CBS News projects Jackson’s victory over Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to claim the GOP nomination.

This marks the end of a particularly heated primary battle in Georgia. The race was marked by two lawsuits, a defamation claim, and a mobile billboard in metro Atlanta. Jackson, who calls himself a conservative outsider, joined the race in February 2026 and quickly made an impact. He pledged $50 million of his wealth to his campaign, spending more than any other candidate according to AdImpact. Jackson’s campaign and allied spending on television ads alone exceeded $50 million by the runoff.

Jackson built his campaign on his personal story. He grew up in poverty, moved through five foster homes, attended 13 schools, and lived in Atlanta’s Techwood Homes projects. He eventually built Jackson Healthcare into a company that operates nationwide, serving over 20 million patients annually with more than $3 billion in revenue.

Attorney General Chris Carr, who finished fourth in the May primary, endorsed Jackson. Carr praised him as a “successful businessman and political outsider” who could continue Brian Kemp’s legacy. Just before the runoff, Jackson received another prominent endorsement from Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Jones had entered the runoff as the frontrunner with the endorsement of President Trump. Trump supported Jones because he was the first Georgia State Assembly member to endorse him for president. Jones, a sixth-generation Georgian and a former University of Georgia football letterman, has been Georgia’s lieutenant governor since 2022 and spent more than a decade in the State Senate.

The campaign between Jackson and Jones turned negative. Jackson sued Jones in federal court, challenging a Georgia campaign finance mechanism known as a leadership committee. This mechanism allegedly gave Jones an unconstitutional fundraising edge. A judge temporarily blocked Jones’ leadership committee funds, which had amassed $15.9 million, from being raised or spent during the legal proceedings.

Jackson also filed a defamation lawsuit against Jones in Fulton County Superior Court. The suit was in response to Jones’ campaign’s social media allegations that accused Jackson of making his fortune by recruiting for Planned Parenthood and aiding doctors in performing transgender procedures on minors. Jackson called these claims false and strategically timed to harm him among conservatives as the race grew tighter. Despite the controversy, Jones’ campaign maintained its stance, launching a mobile billboard and website attacking Jackson’s business history.

Both candidates shared similar policy views, such as reducing taxes, backing law enforcement, opposing illegal immigration, and fighting against what they define as woke ideology in schools. The race ultimately hinged more on their biographies, financial power, and political affiliations rather than policy differences.

Jackson will now challenge the Democratic nominee, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, in the general election slated for November.