Jones, Jackson advance to runoff in Georgia Republican governor primary

Burt Jones and Rick Jackson have advanced to a run-off in Georgia’s Republican primary for governor, prolonging a contentious battle to determine the party’s nominee for November’s midterm election.

Jones, the state’s lieutenant governor, and Jackson, a healthcare billionaire, will face off again on June 16 after neither secured the required majority in Tuesday’s voting.

The winner will aim to succeed Republican Governor Brian Kemp, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Jones last year, and Jones expressed gratitude Tuesday night. A Jones victory would bolster Trump’s influence in Georgia, a pivotal swing state where his track record as a political kingmaker has been uneven.

Democrats are also selecting their candidate as they seek to capture the governor’s office for the first time since 1998.

The Democratic field includes former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Republican Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, former state Senator Jason Esteves, and former state Labor Commissioner Mike Thurmond.

Separately, Democrat Jasmine Clark won her party’s nomination Tuesday to succeed the late Representative David Scott in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District. Scott died in April while seeking another term.

Clark, a state representative, microbiologist and lecturer at Emory University, has pledged to prioritize science policy in Congress. Her campaign received a boost from over $2 million in outside spending by cryptocurrency-linked groups, though Clark said she did not seek their support.

She is heavily favored in the November election, where Jonathan Chavez will be the Republican nominee after running unopposed in the primary.

Meanwhile, two-term Representative Mike Collins advanced to the Republican run-off in Georgia’s U.S. Senate race.

Collins, 58, who owns a family trucking business and represents a district east of Atlanta, has closely aligned with Trump and describes himself as a “MAGA workhorse.” Immigration enforcement has been a central focus of his campaign.

Georgia Republicans are seeking a challenger to Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff.

Among Collins’s rivals, Representative Buddy Carter has highlighted his conservative record in Congress, while former college football coach Derek Dooley has presented himself as a political outsider.

More than $125 million has been spent on advertising in the Republican primary for governor, with over $66 million from Jackson’s campaign, according to advertising-tracking firm AdImpact. By contrast, Democrats running for governor have spent only about $4 million.

Jones argues that his conservative record as a state senator and lieutenant governor, combined with Trump’s endorsement, should make him the clear choice for Republican voters.

“I think Georgia just spoke, y’all,” Jones said at his election night party.

“The reason why I know we’re gonna win is because of friends and family members,” he said.

Jackson is betting that his outsider pitch will win over anti-establishment conservatives. On Tuesday night, he called Jones a political insider who is “working inside the system for his own benefit.”

“I cannot be bought, and I will not back down,” Jackson said.