Burt Jones was the inevitable Republican nominee for Georgia governor. Then Rick Jackson showed up

Associated Press (AP)CenterEN 7 min read 100% complete by By JEFF AMYMarch 14, 2026 at 01:53 PM

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long article 7 min

In the 2026 Georgia gubernatorial race, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones was considered the likely Republican nominee. However, healthcare business owner Rick Jackson entered the race, presenting a challenge to Jones's presumed frontrunner status. Jackson officially qualified to run for governor in early March 2026. He launched his campaign with a kickoff speech in Alpharetta, Georgia, in early February. The presence of Jackson in the race alters the landscape of the Republican primary, introducing competition where Jones was initially perceived as the inevitable nominee.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Alpharetta, Ga. ×230% Rome, Ga. 30% Coosa Steel Corporation 30% Shane Jackson 40% Jackson Healthcare ×240% Donald Trump 50% Atlanta ×260% Republican ×270% Georgia ×580% Burt Jones ×390% Rick Jackson ×690%

Keywords

georgia governor 100% republican nominee 90% burt jones 80% rick jackson 80% election 70% campaign 60% georgia 50% lieutenant governor 40%

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Associated Press (AP)

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This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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georgia governor republican nominee burt jones rick jackson election campaign georgia lieutenant governor

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