Georgia Governor Race Heads to Run-Off Between Jones and Jackson

Two candidates, Burt Jones and Rick Jackson, have advanced to a June 16 run-off in Georgia’s Republican primary for governor. The election follows Tuesday’s voting, where neither candidate secured enough support to win the nomination outright. Jones, who is currently serving as Georgia’s lieutenant governor, and Jackson, a healthcare billionaire, will face each other again in the upcoming run-off.

The winner of this election will seek to replace Republican Governor Brian Kemp, who is barred by term limits from running again. US President Donald Trump endorsed Jones last year, and he expressed gratitude towards Trump on Tuesday night. A victory for Jones would strengthen Trump’s influence in Georgia, a key battleground state.

Separately, Democrats are also choosing their nominee for the governor’s office. The Democratic field includes former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former Republican Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, former state Senator Jason Esteves, and former state labour commissioner Mike Thurmond. Democrat Jasmine Clark won her party’s nomination on Tuesday to succeed late Representative David Scott in Georgia’s 13th Congressional District.

In the US Senate race, two-term Representative Mike Collins advanced to the Republican run-off in Georgia. Collins has closely aligned himself with Trump and describes himself as a “MAGA workhorse”. Immigration enforcement has been a central focus of his campaign. The Republican primary for Georgia governor saw more than $125m spent on advertising, with Jackson’s campaign spending over $66m.

The candidates have made different pitches to voters. Jones argues that his conservative record and Trump’s support make him the clear choice for Republican voters. Jackson is betting on an outsider pitch to win over anti-establishment conservatives.

Source: Al Jazeera