Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones debates alone after GOP gubernatorial rival Rick Jackson skips Atlanta Press Club event

Jun 1, 2026

Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones debated alone at an Atlanta Press Club event after his GOP gubernatorial rival, Rick Jackson, skipped to hold a rally with Sen. Rick Scott. Jones used the empty podium to attack Jackson over state contracts and past donations. Jackson's campaign responded on social media, accusing Jones of corruption. The two face off in a June 16 runoff, with the winner to challenge Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Jones solo debate appearance

▪Jones fielded questions from journalists on topics including sports betting, the state budget, tax policy, and artificial intelligence.
▪During the debate, Jones was questioned about his role as one of the "alternate" Republican electors who falsely claimed Donald Trump won the 2020 election in Georgia.
▪Lt. Gov. Burt Jones appeared alone at a Republican gubernatorial debate hosted by the Atlanta Press Club on June 1, 2026.
▪Jones's rival, healthcare CEO Rick Jackson, declined to attend the debate, citing a scheduling conflict.

Jackson counter-event with Scott

▪While the debate occurred, Rick Jackson held a campaign rally with U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida at a gun club in Kennesaw.
▪A spokesman for Rick Jackson said the event with Sen. Rick Scott was a prior commitment and would have a greater reach than the debate.
▪Approximately 600 people attended Rick Jackson's campaign event in Kennesaw.

Jones attacks on Jackson

▪Burt Jones accused Rick Jackson of having an ownership stake in data centers, while denying he has any personal business stake in the industry himself.
▪Burt Jones raised a question from a previous debate about whether Rick Jackson's company employs immigrants who lack permanent legal status.
▪Burt Jones questioned Rick Jackson about a $750,000 settlement paid to the Department of Justice over Medicare fraud allegations.
▪Burt Jones criticized Rick Jackson for receiving $1 billion in state contracts since 2020 and for past donations to Stacey Abrams and Liz Cheney.
▪During the debate, Burt Jones said Rick Jackson's absence "shows a man’s character when he won’t show up and take questions."

Jackson campaign rebuttals

▪Supporters at Rick Jackson's rally described him as a "self-made man" and called Burt Jones a "nepo baby."
▪Rick Jackson's campaign team responded on X, accusing Burt Jones of personally profiting from the data center and sports betting industries.
▪The Jackson campaign also criticized Burt Jones on X for the state legislature's "Sine Die" adjournment, which left many bills unresolved.

GOP runoff campaign stakes

▪Rick Jackson has agreed to a June 14 debate, two days before the runoff, but Burt Jones has not publicly accepted the invitation.
▪Burt Jones and Rick Jackson will compete in the Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary runoff on June 16.
▪Burt Jones has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, while Rick Jackson is a self-funded healthcare CEO and political outsider.

General election matchup preview

▪The winner of the Republican runoff will face Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, in the November general election.
▪Keisha Lance Bottoms has aligned her campaign with incumbent U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff, creating a united Democratic ticket.