(The Center Square) – Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and businessman Rick Jackson will campaign for another month for Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Jones, endorsed by President Donald Trump, held a slight lead over Jackson for most of primary Election Night on Tuesday. Shortly before 9 p.m., Jones had 37% of the vote to Jackson’s 34%. Trailing in third place was Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger with just under 15% of the vote, followed by Attorney General Chris Carr.
Jones faced an attack from a group called Georgians for Integrity in late 2025 and accused Jackson of being behind the advertising campaign. Jackson denied it during an Atlanta Press Club debate.
Jones called “dark money” groups “the devil” in an interview with The Center Square.
“I would like to find a way to stop that dark money, as I call it, from being used in these campaigns,” Jones said. “It’s ridiculous that we’ve got somebody who’s spent over $100 million in this governor’s race, but it’s also ridiculous that I’ve spent the money I’ve spent.”
Campaign finance reports show that Jones received $4.4 million in contributions and loaned himself $17 million. He spent $18 mlllion, according to the latest filings.
Jackson raised $83.5 million, according to the reports. Jackson is listed as the main contributor and has spent $65.7 million. The bulk of it, 80%, is for television advertising, according to the report.
Democrats said the runoff is something they love to see.
“The nastiest and most expensive Republican primary in modern Georgia history is about to last for four more weeks,” said Meghan Meehan-Draper, executive director of the Democratic Governors Association in a statement.
Jones said he was outspent four to one.
“Tonight Georgia sent a clear message – you can’t buy this state and now, Georgia, it’s time to finish the drill,” Jones said. “Georgia is too important to risk handing it to a billionaire Never Trumper with a checkbook.”
Jackson continued to show his fealty to Trump in comments shortly after the race was called.
“President Trump deserves a governor in this state who will do more than take a picture, use his name… but not put in the work,” Jackson said on social media. “This weekend, my opponent said he was going to win without a runoff. Well, no surprise, Burt was all talk and no results. He isn’t going to win the runoff either.”
At the time the Republican gubernatorial race was called, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms was leading seven other candidates. The former Atlanta mayor maintained 60% of the vote for most of the night against former Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, former state Sen. Jason Esteves and former Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond and others.
Bottoms said she would ensure state agencies are prepared to expand Medicaid on Day 1 of her administration. She also wants to increase eligibility to 138% of the poverty level.
A Fulton County precinct was scheduled to remain open until 11 p.m. after it was closed while police searched for an armed man on Tuesday. It is the state’s largest county.
The race to succeed Carr as attorney general was called early, with Sen. Brian Strickland defeating Athens state Sen. Bill Cowsert. Strickland had more than 70% of the vote to Cowsert’s nearly 29%. Cowsert chaired the Special Senate Committee on Investigations that is looking into Fulton County’s prosecution of Trump.
Strickland will face former state Rep. Tanya Miller, who defeated Bob Trammell in the Democratic primary.