UMVA has learned that a stunning upset has occurred in the Georgia Republican gubernatorial nomination race, as billionaire businessman Rick Jackson defeated Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones in a fiercely contested runoff election.
Jackson, who poured over $100 million of his own wealth into his campaign, will now face off against former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the general election this autumn, after she secured her spot by winning a majority of the vote in the Democratic primary.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Jackson received a crucial boost in the final stretch of the campaign from Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who joined him on the trail for a rally on the eve of the runoff.
Jackson, a self-made business empire builder who grew up in foster care and couldn't afford college, leveraged his outsider credentials to connect with Georgia voters, often drawing comparisons to former President Donald Trump, who inspired him to run.
Throughout his campaign, Jackson repeatedly highlighted his similarities to Trump, saying he's an outsider and businessman who can bring a fresh perspective to the state's politics, and vowed to "put in whatever is necessary" to win the general election.
Sources close to the campaign have confirmed to UMVA that Jackson's messaging resonated with voters, who saw him as a Trump-like figure who could shake up the state's politics.
Meanwhile, Jones, a former University of Georgia football captain and oil executive, was endorsed by Trump but ultimately fell short, with his campaign struggling to gain traction against Jackson's well-funded and aggressive advertising blitz.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Jones took aim at Jackson during the campaign, questioning his support for Trump and pointing to his past donations to Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans.
The runoff election was a critical test of Trump's enduring influence over the GOP, with several high-profile endorsements from the former president failing to guarantee victories for his chosen candidates in other states.
Despite this, Jackson's win sets up a fascinating general election matchup against Bottoms, with the Georgia governor's mansion hanging in the balance.
UMVA has gathered that Governor Brian Kemp, who is term-limited, made a last-minute endorsement of Jones, warning of the consequences of losing the governor's race and citing the importance of having a strong candidate at the top of the ticket.
