A little known candidate shakes up GOP primary for Georgia governor

Rick Jackson, health care executive and 2026 candidate for governor in Georgia, speaks at his campaign kickoff event in Alpharetta, Ga. on Feb. 4, 2026. Alander Rocha/Georgia Recorder

Rick Jackson, the wealthy executive and founder of Jackson Healthcare, entered Georgia’s race for governor Tuesday and upended a Republican primary field that was previously considered settled.

Jackson, who is relatively unknown statewide, pitched himself as a “conservative business leader” capable of breaking up the political establishment “cartel.” His late entry comes as a challenge to Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump months ago and is presumed to be the front-runner. In his first week, Jackson pulled from Trump’s playbook, making a flashy entrance to his kick-off campaign event, waving to the crowd as he descended in a glass elevator.

“If you want another career politician who will bow to the cartel, my opponents are for you. But if you want a governor who’s like President Trump, who will stand up to the radical left, the media, the bureaucracy and anyone else that tries to take advantage of Georgians, then I’m your man,” Jackson said to a crowd of supporters and Jackson Healthcare employees.

Trey Hood, a political scientist at the University of Georgia, said Jackson’s announcement seems intended to destabilize the race, coming during the legislative session when attention is focused on state government. Hood said that while Jackson does not currently have much name recognition, his wealth might allow him to “introduce himself to people” and possibly “claim the outsider mantle” in a field of established officeholders.

“I think they waited on purpose, obviously, to enter the race and make a splash when everyone was following things and thought the field was fixed,” Hood said.

Jackson’s entry rattled Georgia political leaders who assumed the field of candidates, which includes Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, was largely set. The Jones campaign immediately painted him as another “never-Trump” candidate.

“The Never-Trump lane just got way more expensive and way more crowded,” Kayla Lott, spokesperson for the Jones campaign, said in a statement.

Republican candidates for governor

Jackson plans to inject millions of dollars of his own funds into the race, starting with at least $40 million in advertising “to introduce Rick,” according to his announcement press release.

In a speech at his corporate headquarters in Alpharetta, Jackson used familiar rhetoric to align himself with Trump’s political style and explicitly targeted Jones, calling him a “so-called front-runner” who is “weak as can be and as lazy as the day is long.”

“He wants the title of governor, but not the job. We would be risking losing this seat to a radical Democrat or Republican who acts like one. I wasn’t willing to sit and let that happen to our president or our great state,” Jackson said before comparing himself to Trump. “We see what happens when a true outsider steps into Washington and shakes the whole place up, someone who takes on the bureaucrats, takes on the media, takes on the entrenched political class and actually fights for the people who built this country.”

Jackson’s platform includes a wide range of promises, including populist proposals focused on tax cuts and Trump-aligned themes, such as increased deportations in Georgia. He said he would freeze property taxes and proposed cutting the state income tax by 50% within four years. He also promised to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools and “criminalize reverse discrimination.”

“Atlanta could be as big a swamp as Washington,” Jackson told supporters. “I don’t care what the insiders want, how much they beg or how much they give. I can’t be bought, and I won’t back down.”

Shane Jackson, the candidate’s son who serves as president of Jackson Healthcare, touted his father’s willingness to sacrifice his personal fortune for the state, jokingly saying that many had asked if his father was “crazy” for entering politics, to which he said he answered with “an unequivocal yes.” Shane Jackson, also employing some of the Trump campaign playbook, threw a jab at the media, saying that it would only focus on him calling his dad “crazy.”

“I know press is here, so that will probably be the only thing I’m quoted on,” he said.

Republican lawmakers, including those in the chamber that Jones presides over, were less enthusiastic. Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte of Dallas dismissed concerns that Jackson’s wealth could impact the Republican primary, saying that “money isn’t everything.” He said that voters want to know if a candidate is “fighting for them” rather than just showing up months before a primary.

“I think Burt Jones is going to prevail,” Anavitarte said.

Former Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch of Dahlonega, who also endorsed Jones and who is a candidate for lieutenant governor, was more cautious, saying that “any time a person with significant wealth gets in a political race, and they don’t rely on contributions from other people, it makes their job as a candidate much easier.”

A well-funded unknown candidate could complicate the path to the Republican nominating contest, which is set for May and requires a majority of the vote to avoid a runoff. But Hood was more doubtful of Jackson’s chances, saying he would have to work hard to build name recognition.

“He could pick up momentum, or he could just pretty much fall flat for all we know, even with all this money,” Hood said.