Businessman Rick Jackson Defeats Trump-Endorsed Candidate In Georgia Gubernatorial Primary After $100 Million Campaign

Billionaire businessman Rick Jackson spent $100 million to overcome Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and win the Georgia GOP gubernatorial primary.

Jackson will now face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who served in the Biden administration and has Joe Biden’s endorsement, in November’s general election.

The healthcare executive led Jones 53 percent to 47 percent with most of the expected vote counted.

Billionaire businessman Rick Jackson will win the Republican nomination for Georgia governor, CNN's Decision Desk projects. Jackson, a political newcomer who oversees a healthcare staffing company, plowed more than $100 million of his fortune into the contest to knock off Lt.… pic.twitter.com/SAk1TGybQj

— CNN (@CNN) June 17, 2026

Fox News shared further:

Jackson was unknown to Georgia voters a few months ago, but thanks to an avalanche of ads, his story of building a business empire despite growing up in foster care and not being able to afford college became well known in the Peach State.

“I know what it’s like to feel like nobody sees you, especially the elite and the powerful,” Jackson said in his speech a hundreds of supporters. “When you grow up the way I did, you never forget where you came from. You never forget the families who are working harder than ever, but still falling behind.”

Jackson was also boosted in the final stretch ahead of the runoff election by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, the conservative firebrand from Texas.

Throughout his campaign, Jackson has said that Trump inspired him to run.

“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, and so that was one of the reasons I wanted to get in. I was inspired by President Trump,” Jackson told Fox News Digital last month.

And he repeatedly highlighted that, like Trump, he’s an outsider and businessman. “I’m going to be Trump’s favorite governor because we’re just alike on the way that we handle business and handle problems, and I want to do exactly in Georgia what he’s doing at the federal government,” he reiterated in a Fox News Digital interview Sunday.

“Rick Jackson ran a great TRUMP Campaign. Very smart! Was with me on Saturday Night making a pitch. Amazing!!! He won against a great guy, Burt Jones, who has a fantastic future!!!” Trump commented on Truth Social.

Rick Jackson ran a great TRUMP Campaign. Very smart! Was with me on Saturday Night making a pitch. Amazing!!! He won against a great guy, Burt Jones, who has a fantastic future!!! President DJT

( TS: Jun 17 2026, 2:20 AM ET )‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍… pic.twitter.com/Ztey8WJUSx

— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) June 17, 2026

“Regardless of what happens in the Georgia Governor’s race tomorrow, we should be celebrate the patriots building up MAGA and an America First economy like @RickJacksonGA has. When China threatened our amoxicillin supply — Rick saved the last amoxicillin manufacturing facility in America because he knows we can’t let China control our entire supply of anti-biotics. When the U.S. faced an oil refining shortage and the woke banks wouldn’t finance a new one — Rick stepped up again and became the largest outside investor,” Donald Trump Jr. said on Monday.

“This has been a hard-fought race with a lot of mudslinging, but I know Rick Jackson to be a good man – and that counts for a lot,” he continued.

“Btw this is not an endorsement of Rick and I think @BurtJonesforga is a great guy too. My only point is that no matter who wins tomorrow, it’s a victory for MAGA,” Trump Jr. added.

Btw this is not an endorsement of Rick and I think @BurtJonesforga is a great guy too. My only point is that no matter who wins tomorrow, it’s a victory for MAGA.

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 15, 2026

NBC News has more:

The contest, which went to a runoff after neither Jackson nor Jones won 50% of the vote in the May 19 primary, boiled down to a fierce battle for the MAGA base.

For Jackson, that took on the form of comparing himself in ads and on the stump to Trump, painting himself as a political outsider — even though he didn’t have Trump’s official support. For Jones, that meant leaning heavily into highlighting Trump’s “complete and total endorsement.”

But ultimately, the support from Trump — which first came in August and was reiterated in tele-rallies and social media posts — wasn’t enough. Jones is only the second Trump-backed candidate to lose a Republican primary for governor this election cycle as he has sought to put his stamp on the party across the country.

An eleventh-hour endorsement from outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp on Sunday night, days after early voting had closed, also failed to lift Jones to victory.

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