Rick Jackson, the billionaire founder of Jackson Healthcare, leads Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in Georgia’s Republican primary runoff for governor as votes count on June 16, with Jackson commanding 59.4% to Jones’s 40.6% with roughly one-quarter of votes tallied, according to NBC News.
Jackson, who positioned himself as a political outsider throughout the race, has surged ahead despite facing Trump’s endorsement of Jones and a last-minute backing from Gov. Brian Kemp. The runoff determines which Republican will face Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in November’s general election.
The result marks a test of Trump’s influence in a state he won twice. Jones, the lieutenant governor, received Trump’s formal endorsement and Kemp’s support just days before the election. But Jackson has aggressively campaigned on his outsider status, telling supporters that despite being “always been the outsider in this race,” he would be “President Trump’s favorite governor,” according to statements reported by local outlets.
Jackson entered the race in February 2026 as a late entrant, shocking the Republican field with his self-funded campaign and record-breaking spending. He advanced to the runoff after the May 19 primary failed to produce a candidate with over 50% of the vote. Chris Carr, Georgia’s attorney general who finished fourth in the initial primary, endorsed Jackson ahead of the runoff, signaling fractures within the establishment-backed Jones campaign.
Sources
- NBC News — Live results showing Jackson at 59.4% and Jones at 40.6% with 24.2% of votes counted as of June 16, 2026
- Politico — Gov. Brian Kemp’s endorsement of Burt Jones in Georgia’s gubernatorial runoff
- Capitol Beat — Trump’s commitment to support Burt Jones in the Georgia governor’s runoff
- Georgia Recorder — Chris Carr’s endorsement of Rick Jackson in the runoff
- 11Alive — Rick Jackson’s statement positioning himself as an outsider claiming he would be Trump’s favorite governor
