Trump Praises Rick Jackson After Georgia GOP Governor Runoff Win Over Burt Jones

Jackson, a billionaire who echoed Trump's false claims about Georgia's 2020 election, defeated Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and will face Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in November.

WHITE HOUSE — Donald J.Trump posted on Truth Social on June 17, 2026 at 1:20 AM EST, posted on Truth Social on June 17, 2026, praising Rick Jackson for running “a great TRUMP Campaign” and calling him “very smart,” noting that Jackson “was with me on Saturday Night making a pitch.” Trump also offered kind words for the defeated candidate, calling Burt Jones “a great guy, who has a fantastic future.” Jackson, a billionaire, won the Republican runoff for Georgia governor on Tuesday, defeating Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who had been endorsed by Trump and was one of Georgia’s 2020 fake electors (see democracydocket.com). The result represents a rare defeat for a Trump-backed candidate in a Republican primary, though Trump’s post appeared to embrace the outcome and signal support for Jackson heading into the general election. Jackson will face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Democratic nominee, in November’s general election for the seat being vacated by term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp (see wsbtv.com). Jackson has echoed Trump’s false claims about Georgia’s 2020 presidential election throughout his campaign, running ads attacking Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for refusing to help overturn Joe Biden’s certified victory in the state (see democracydocket.com). When asked during the campaign whether the 2020 election was stolen, Jackson said, “that was totally ridiculous what happened in 2020 and our people really let us down.” Georgia was central to Trump’s effort to reverse the 2020 results; the state’s presidential votes were counted three times, including once by hand, and each count confirmed Biden’s win. The Georgia governor’s race carries significant national implications. If elected, Jackson would wield considerable power over the state’s election laws and congressional redistricting ahead of the 2028 presidential cycle (see democracydocket.com). Jackson has already called for Republicans to redraw Georgia’s political maps following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. The November contest is expected to be one of the most closely watched gubernatorial races in the country, as Georgia remains a critical battleground state in national politics (see cbsnews.com).

Source: Zenger analysis

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