Rick Jackson (Georgia)

Rick Jackson

Republican Party

Candidate, Governor of Georgia

Elections and appointments

Next election

May 19, 2026

Rick Jackson (Republican Party) is running for election for Governor of Georgia. Jackson declared candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on May 19, 2026.^[source]

2026 battleground election

See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026 (May 19 Republican primary)

Ballotpedia identified the May 19 Republican primary as a battleground race. The summary below is from our coverage of this election here

Eight candidates are running in the Republican primary for Georgia governor on May 19, 2026.

Four candidates have led in media attention:

• Chris Carr (R) is the incumbent attorney general and is campaigning on affordability and public safety.
• Rick Jackson (R) is a healthcare executive and is campaigning on his outsider status and on passing an income tax cut.
• Burt Jones (R) is the incumbent lieutenant governor and is campaigning on reducing taxes and improving education.
• Brad Raffensperger (R) is the incumbent secretary of state and is campaigning on jobs and lower taxes.

For more information about each candidate's policies, click here.

Cook Political Report with Amy Walter's Matthew Klein wrote, "Ever the swing state, Georgia is gearing up for yet another competitive and expensive gubernatorial contest. And this time, both parties have packed primaries that guarantee plenty of chaos before the general election kicks off in earnest."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy, and Adam Beam wrote after Jackson's entry that the election "has turned... into a cash arms race." Observers have noted that Jackson, Jones, and Raffensperger can self-finance their campaigns, and Jackson and Jones have done so.

Both Carr and Raffensperger have challenged SB 221, a 2021 law that allows certain state officials to create leadership committees to fundraise, in court. As of February 2026, both challenges were unsuccessful, though Raffensperger has appealed the ruling. Satellite spending has also been a factor in the race as a group called Georgians for Integrity has spent $5 million in ads opposing Jones' campaign.

The Washington Post's Patrick Svitek wrote that Donald Trump's legal challenges in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election had become "a stark dividing line in the Georgia governor’s race, where Republicans [who took differing sides]... are now facing off in a major midterm contest." In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential elections, the candidates who held office at the time took differing stances on Trump's lawsuits. Jones, a state Senator at the time, supported the lawsuits and was an alternate elector for Trump, while Carr and Raffensperger did not support the president's lawsuits.

Trump endorsed Jones on August 11, 2025, saying in a Truth Social post, "Burt has proven he has the Courage and Wisdom to deliver strong results for the incredible people of his wonderful State and Nation". The four candidates have spoken about Trump and the 2020 election in different ways. Carr has praised Trump's policies but did not back his lawsuits in 2020, and says his campaign and style were more aligned with Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and former Sen. Johnny Isakson (R). Jackson says Trump was his inspiration to run for office, and he has aired ads criticizing Raffensperger over his actions following the 2020 presidential election. Jones says he supports Trump's agenda and also previously supported his lawsuits in 2020. Raffensperger, who did not support the president's lawsuits in 2020, has defended his actions and says his record has been conservative and would align with Trump's objectives.

If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two leading candidates will advance to a runoff on June 16, 2026.

This page focuses on Georgia's Republican Party gubernatorial primary. For more in-depth information on Georgia's Democratic gubernatorial primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026 (May 19 Democratic primary)
• Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026

Elections

2026

See also: Georgia gubernatorial election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on May 19, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia

The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Governor of Georgia on May 19, 2026.

		Candidate
		Keisha Bottoms
		Olu Brown
		Geoff Duncan
		Jason Esteves
		Derrick Jackson
		Ruwa Romman
		Michael Thurmond

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
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Republican primary

Republican primary for Governor of Georgia

The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for Governor of Georgia on May 19, 2026.

		Candidate
		Chris Carr
		Clark Dean
		Rick Jackson
		Burt Jones
		Gregg Kirkpatrick
	Submit photo	Leland Olinger II
		Brad Raffensperger
	Submit photo	Kenneth Yasger

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

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Campaign website

Jackson's campaign website stated the following:

Make Georgia the Most Affordable State in America

Georgia families are getting squeezed. Groceries cost more. Rent costs more. College costs more. Property taxes are out of control. Politicians talk about affordability, but talk never paid a bill. Rick Jackson will take real action to make Georgia more affordable.

As Governor, Rick Jackson will:

• Freeze property taxes immediately to stop runaway assessments that price families out of their homes
• Cut the state income tax in half within 4 years and work to eliminate it within 8
• Use technology and AI to eliminate wasteful spending and improve services
• Freeze tuition, room, and board at public colleges and technical schools

An Outsider Who Gets Results — Not a Career Politician

Georgia doesn’t need another politician who knows how to give speeches. It needs a leader who knows how to deliver results. Rick Jackson built businesses by identifying problems, demanding accountability, and getting outcomes. That’s how he’ll run Georgia.

As Governor, Rick will:

• Enact term limits for all politicians
• Audit every government program for results and effectiveness
• Eliminate programs that don’t work
• Raise expectations in schools, agencies, and public spending
• Make clear what success looks like — and enforce it

Stop Woke Ideology and Ban Reverse Discrimination

Schools exist to educate — not indoctrinate.

Rick Jackson will restore common sense and parental authority in Georgia classrooms.

As Governor, Rick will:

• Prohibit DEI programs in state government, public universities, and classrooms
• Ensure taxpayer dollars never fund political activism

Protect Children

Rick Jackson is clear and unapologetic. Children deserve protection — not political experiments. And he believes it’s about time foster kids went from the back of the line towards the front. He’s fought to give foster kids a better chance to succeed, all at no extra cost to taxpayers.

As Governor, Rick will:

• Strengthen Georgia’s Parents’ Bill of Rights
• Ban ideological indoctrination in schools
• Ensure boys do not compete in girls’ sports or use girls’ bathrooms or locker rooms

Support Law Enforcement

Rick Jackson grew up in places where law enforcement was the difference between safety and chaos, and where law enforcement was treated with respect. He knows if you listen to and respect the policy, you won’t get hurt. He will always stand with those who protect our communities.

As Governor, Rick will:

• Fully support law enforcement with resources, training, and respect
• Ban revolving-door justice
• Reject soft-on-crime policies

Fight Illegal Immigration

Rick Jackson will work with President Trump to protect Georgians from the consequences of Washington’s failures.

As Governor, Rick will:

• Make Georgia number one in the nation for deporting criminal illegal immigrants
• End policies that put Georgia families at risk
• Enforce the law without apology

Dignity Through Work — Not Dependency

Rick Jackson believes work brings dignity, purpose, and independence. Creating dependency is not compassion. Forcing people to work is not a punishment; it is a means to lift people up out of poverty. Government assistance should be a bridge, not a lifestyle.

As Governor, Rick will:

• Tie public assistance to work or job training for able-bodied adults
• End endless dependency programs
• Expand job training and vocational pathways
• Reward effort, responsibility, and self-reliance

Support Children in Foster Care

Rick Jackson grew up in 5 foster homes and knows what it’s like to have to fight your way to success. That’s why he’s made supporting foster children a major cause of his life – and will continue to do so as governor.

Rick Jackson:

• Led the charge to pass the Fostering Success Act
• The law allows foster youth to attend public colleges and universities tuition-free and no additional cost to taxpayers
• Believes kids should not be punished for circumstances beyond their control

— Rick Jackson's campaign website (February 7, 2026)

Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Campaign finance summary

Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.

See also

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