Billionaire Rick Jackson’s $50 million entry into the governor’s race is fueling intense infighting as he attacks his GOP rivals and touts his Trump ties and MAGA bona fides.
In his very first speech of the campaign, Jackson brutally attacked Trump-endorsed Burt Jones, saying: “I saw a so-called front runner who is weak as can be and lazy as the day is long.”
Jackson added: “[Jones] wants the title of governor, but not the job.”
WATCH RICK JACKSON VICIOUSLY ATTACK TRUMP-ENDORSED BURT JONES:
Jackson’s entry into the race has clearly rattled Jones, whose campaign told The Georgia Recorder: “The Never-Trump lane just got way more expensive and way more crowded.”
Jackson has shared that he plans to spend $50 million disrupting the Republican primary between Jones, Brad Raffensperger, and Chris Carr. He has reserved over $3 million in ads in the next week, in what is speculated to soon be the most expensive governor’s race in state history.
There’s no doubt that Jackson’s announcement is making this primary even messier, with the AJC writing that “[Jackson’s] entry could force [Jones] to go on offense.” The AJC also noted that “many top Republicans are already pointing fingers” at Jackson for the $13.5 million ad blitz from the secretive Georgians for Integrity that has hammered Jones’ record of self-enrichment.
Jackson’s launch comes as the GOP candidates work to outflank each other on their MAGA bona fides. Jackson notably drew comparisons to Trump throughout his launch speech, and he released an ad labeling Brad Raffensperger a modern-day Judas Iscariot for his work as Secretary of State. On the other hand, Burt Jones announced his full support for Trump’s FBI raid and viciously smeared his GOP opponents in the process, saying that Raffensperger hasn’t “hasn’t fixed the corruption” and Carr “hasn’t prosecuted it.” Jones has also recently tweeted three different times highlighting his “complete and total” endorsement from Trump.
###