Republicans Burt Jones and Rick Jackson advance to a runoff in the Georgia governor primary, setting up a MAGA clash

2026 ElectionRepublicans Burt Jones and Rick Jackson advance to a runoff in the Georgia governor primary, setting up a MAGA clashJones, the lieutenant governor, has Trump’s endorsement, but Jackson has shaken up the race by pouring tens of millions of his own dollars into the race. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidates Rick Jackson and Burt Jones are heading to a primary runoff.Arvin Temkar / Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 19, 2026, 8:23 PM EDTBy Adam EdelmanGeorgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire Rick Jackson will advance to a June runoff in the state’s Republican primary for governor, NBC News projects.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The head-to-head contest will pit two candidates against each other who have aggressively vied for the support of President Donald Trump’s base in Georgia. Jones has Trump’s official endorsement, but Jackson, a health care executive who shook up the race with his unexpected entrance earlier this year, has painted himself in the mold of the president. Jones and Jackson will face off on June 16 after no candidate in Tuesday’s crowded primary won more than 50%. The field vying to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Brian Kemp also included Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and state Attorney General Chris Carr.Trump had endorsed Jones just weeks after he launched his campaign, and many of his TV ads have highlighted that support.But Jackson has pumped $80 million of his own money into ads since he launched his campaign in February, according to AdImpact, blanketing Georgia’s airwaves with so many ads that Republicans running for other offices in the state have struggled to attract attention in their own races.Jackson has also used many of his ads to compare himself to Trump — painting himself as a wealthy outsider, businessman and change agent. “Like President Trump, I don...