Billionaire Rick Jackson has spent $50 million of his own money on his campaign for Georgia's GOP gubernatorial primary, turning himself from an unknown into a frontrunner. The spending blitz has made the race one of the most expensive on record and puts Jackson in a tight race with Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. The rivalry includes a lawsuit over campaign finance, while Jackson faces scrutiny over his companies receiving nearly $1 billion in state contracts.
Jackson self-funded ad spending
- ▪As of April 6, media research firm AdImpact ranked Rick Jackson as the fourth-highest political ad spender nationwide
- ▪Republican candidates in the Georgia race have spent $99.2 million on ads, while Democratic candidates have spent $1.2 million
- ▪Billionaire Rick Jackson has spent $50 million of his own money on his campaign for the Georgia GOP gubernatorial primary
- ▪The Georgia gubernatorial primary has become one of the most expensive on record, with candidates spending a total of $100.5 million
- ▪Rick Jackson's spending makes him the leading Republican ad spender nationwide in the 2025-2026 election cycle
Georgia GOP primary polling
- ▪Rick Jackson's primary opponent, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, is endorsed by former President Donald Trump
- ▪Polling for the May 19 primary is mixed, with March polls showing Rick Jackson leading by 8-15 points and others showing Burt Jones ahead by 7-10 points
- ▪Rick Jackson's ad spending has turned him from an unknown candidate into a frontrunner in the Georgia GOP primary against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones
Jones-Jackson campaign finance lawsuit
- ▪A judge ruled against Burt Jones regarding the operation of his campaign's leadership committee finances
- ▪Rick Jackson's campaign filed a lawsuit against Burt Jones, alleging Jones's leadership committee allows for unlimited campaign contributions
- ▪A PAC named Georgians for Integrity, which has attacked Burt Jones, is said by rivals to be effectively backing Rick Jackson
Jackson state contract conflicts
- ▪A Healthbeat analysis suggests Rick Jackson would likely need to separate his businesses from state agencies to avoid conflicts of interest if he becomes governor
- ▪Jackson Healthcare, Rick Jackson's company, includes subsidiaries that received $10 million from the Department of Community Health during the COVID-19 pandemic
- ▪Companies owned by Rick Jackson have been paid nearly $1 billion by Georgia state agencies through government contracts since 2020
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