Georgia Gubernatorial Race Heads to Runoff
The race for governor in Georgia is moving to a runoff next month after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was unsuccessful in the Republican primary on Tuesday. He managed to garner less than 15% of the vote, which wasn’t enough to qualify him for the top tier of nominations.
With no candidate achieving the 50% threshold needed for an outright victory, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and billionaire healthcare entrepreneur Rick Jackson will compete in a runoff.
“Georgia’s at a crossroads. It’s going to take a conservative business leader to shake things up — and to stop Keisha Lance Bottoms from destroying our state,” Jackson expressed in a post on X. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic primary and will face the runoff winner in the general election this November.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has endorsed Jackson. However, he faced scrutiny regarding his fidelity to Trump, eventually admitting he was “late to the Trump Train.”
In contrast, President Trump publicly endorsed Jones during a tele-rally last week, labeling him as “an incredible guy who has my complete and total endorsement in the race.”
Trump’s endorsements have historically been influential in Georgia’s Republican primaries. His recent backing of Congressman Rich McCormick on Truth Social underscores this impact, with Trump praising McCormick’s performance in Congress.
“In Congress, he is working hard to grow our economy, cut taxes and regulations, promote made in the U.S.A., champion American energy dominance, keep our border secure, stop migrant crime, advance election integrity, and protect our always under siege Second Amendment. Rich McCormick has my complete and total endorsement for re-election — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” Trump stated.
Raffensperger’s defeat in third place reflects a shift within the Georgia GOP. With Trump’s backing, Jones led the primary with around 38% of the vote, while Jackson closely followed at nearly 34%. Their battle in the June 16th runoff will be a significant test of Trump’s endorsement power in the state.
