ATLANTA, Ga. — In the Republican gubernatorial runoff election in Georgia, billionaire businessman Rick Jackson defeated Lt. Gov. Burt Jones on Tuesday night. Jackson, who invested over $100 million of his own funds into his campaign, will face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the general election this autumn. Bottoms secured a majority in last month's Democratic primary, avoiding a runoff.
In his victory speech, Jackson stated, "When I announced my campaign, I said the political class protects itself….it’s a cartel and I said I’m coming to break it up. Well, tonight, we shattered it." He emphasized his outsider status and claimed he does not owe anything to the political establishment.
Jackson's campaign gained momentum through extensive advertising and endorsements, including support from Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. He expressed that he was inspired by Trump to run, stating, "I just thought, you know, if you had somebody doing business solutions for the state of Georgia, just like Trump is for the United States, I just felt like I would have a major impact on the state of Georgia."
Jones, who was endorsed by Trump, criticized Jackson for seeking support from out-of-state senators and questioned his loyalty to the MAGA movement, citing Jackson's past donations to Democrats. Jackson responded by labeling Jones's attacks as false.
The runoff followed a competitive primary that included several candidates, with Jones and Jackson emerging as the top two. Jones, a former state senator and captain of the University of Georgia football team, had been a prominent Trump supporter.
In the lead-up to the general election, Jackson stated he would invest whatever is necessary to win against Bottoms, who criticized him for prioritizing personal profit over the needs of Georgians. Trump's influence in GOP primaries has been tested recently, with mixed results for his endorsed candidates in various states.