Georgia GOP governor candidates Rick Jackson and Burt Jones clash over defamation lawsuit as the race heats up

Georgia's Republican primary for governor is quickly turning into a bare-knuckle political fight, with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and businessman Rick Jackson trading accusations over campaign finances, attack ads and what each side calls dishonest tactics.

In just the past week, the escalating feud has produced two overlapping developments: a defamation lawsuit filed by Jackson against Jones and a new round of campaign attacks from the Jones camp targeting Jackson's business record and political credibility.

The result is a race that, months before voters head to the polls, already looks like one of the most heated GOP primaries Georgia has seen in years.

Jackson, founder of the Georgia-based healthcare staffing company Jackson Healthcare, filed a lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court accusing Jones and his campaign of defamation after a social media post from Jones' campaign alleged Jackson "made his fortune recruiting for Planned Parenthood" and "helping doctors perform transgender procedures on minors." 

The complaint says those allegations are false and were published deliberately to damage Jackson among conservative voters in the Republican primary. 

Jackson's lawyers argue the accusations were timed strategically after polling suggested the race was tightening.

"The accusations are knowingly false," the complaint states, calling them a calculated attempt to "destroy Jackson's hard-earned reputation." 

Jones' campaign has not backed down. Instead, it doubled down with a public messaging campaign that includes a mobile billboard circulating in metro Atlanta criticizing Jackson's record and directing voters to a website attacking the businessman's background. 

The personal attacks come as the two campaigns are also battling over campaign finance rules.

Jackson previously sued over a fundraising mechanism used by Jones known as a leadership committee, which allowed the lieutenant governor to raise unlimited donations while other candidates were still subject to Georgia's normal contribution limits.

A federal judge temporarily blocked Jones' leadership committee from raising or spending money to help his 2026 campaign while the legal challenge continues. 

Jackson's lawsuit described the committee as effectively a "super-duper campaign committee" that allowed Jones to build a massive financial advantage. 

The committee had accumulated roughly $15.9 million, nearly five times the amount in Jones' regular campaign account. 

The ruling didn't end the broader legal fight but temporarily froze a major fundraising pipeline for Jones — a development Jackson's team has framed as proof the lieutenant governor built his campaign on an unfair advantage.

The clash is happening as the Republican primary field begins to shift.

Jones entered the race with strong backing from Georgia Republicans and a major endorsement from former President Donald Trump. But Jackson — a political newcomer who pledged up to $50 million of his own money to the campaign — quickly reshaped the race after announcing his candidacy in February. 

Early polling cited in Jackson's complaint suggests the two candidates have at times been running neck-and-neck among Republican voters. 

That sudden competitiveness has intensified the tone of the campaign.

Jackson's legal filing paints Jones as a career politician "with every advantage," while Jones' campaign argues Jackson is a wealthy outsider attempting to buy the race and hide a record that doesn't align with conservative voters.

What's next

CBS News Atlanta spoke with a spokesperson for the Jones campaign. Here's what they said:

"Rick Jackson's thin skin is showing. Why is Rick so embarrassed to have received a billion dollars in state contracts, helped Planned Parenthood recruit, and staff a pediatric doctor's office that serves 'transgender patients.' He should be proud Georgia knows how his company made its money." 

— Kayla Lott, Spokesperson, Burt Jones for Governor

With the Republican primary scheduled for May 19, 2026, the legal fight and escalating attacks suggest the tone of the race may only get more aggressive.

For now, the Jones-Jackson rivalry is defining the early stage of the contest — and signaling that Georgia's next governor's race could be as much about political combat as policy.