Billionaire businessman Rick Jackson won the Republican primary runoff in Georgia’s race for governor, NBC News projects, defeating President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate, Lt.Gov.
Burt Jones.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Jackson, a healthcare executive and first-time candidate who poured more than $100 million of his own money into his campaign, will now face Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms in the November general election in the battleground state.With more than 80% of the expected vote tallied, Jackson led Jones 53% to 57%.
Follow live resultsThe contest between Jackson and Jones, which went to a runoff after neither candidate 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 the president’s official support.
For Jones, that meant leaning heavily into highlighting the Trump’s “complete and total endorsement.”But ultimately, that support from Trump — which first came for Trump last 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 the president 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.
After unexpectedly jumping into the race in February — six months after Jones did — Jackson pummeled Georgia’s airwaves with ads that, in addition to spotlighting his personal story of growing up in the foster care system, largely invoked Trump.Jackson spent nearly three times as much on ads than Jones did since the beginning of the year and nearly four times as ...