GOP candidate for Georgia governor wins temporary restraining order against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones' leadership committee
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order barring Lt. Gov. Burt Jones' leadership committee from raising or spending money to benefit his 2026 gubernatorial campaign, delivering a major legal victory to Republican rival Richard L. Jackson in a high-stakes dispute over campaign finance law.
The order, issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash in the Northern District of Georgia, stems from a lawsuit Jackson filed earlier this month, arguing that Georgia's "leadership committee" statute gives Jones an unconstitutional fundraising advantage in the May GOP primary.
Jackson, a billionaire health care executive who announced his campaign on Feb. 3, said the law permits Jones — who declared his run in July 2025 — to raise and spend unlimited contributions through WBJ Leadership Committee, Inc., while traditional contribution limits continue to bind challengers like him.
Under Georgia law, statewide candidates generally are limited to $8,400 per donor for primary elections and $4,800 for primary runoffs, but leadership committees are exempt from those caps.
Jackson's complaint contends that disparity violates both the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Court order halts leadership committee activity
The temporary restraining order effectively stops Jones' leadership committee from raising or spending any funds for his campaign while the case moves forward. The court also directed that campaign ads paid for by leadership committee funds since Feb. 10 be canceled.
Jackson's campaign hailed the order as a rebuke of what it called "a separate rulebook" for the lieutenant governor. "A federal court today made clear that Burt Jones doesn't get his own rulebook," said Dave Abrams, a spokesman for Jackson's campaign.
Jones' regular campaign committee still retains funds and may continue operating, but the loss of his leadership committee's fundraising ability represents a significant shift in the dynamics of the crowded Republican primary.
Constitutional fight over campaign finance
The lawsuit names Jones, his campaign and leadership committees, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, and members of the Georgia State Ethics Commission as defendants. Jackson is seeking a permanent injunction against the leadership committee provision of state law and a ruling that it is unconstitutional as applied in this race.
Jackson's complaint cites prior federal court rulings that similarly blocked leadership committees in past races, including a 2022 decision involving a gubernatorial leadership committee.
Critics of leadership committees argue they give incumbents and party leaders a built-in financial edge, while supporters say they provide a way to support legislative and party activities year-round.
Georgia's Republican primary is scheduled for May 19, with a potential runoff on June 16. The restraining order injects fresh uncertainty into the race as candidates jockey for position and funding in the crucial weeks leading up to the ballot.
Jones' campaign has not immediately issued a response to the court's order.
CBS News Atlanta has reached out to Lt. Gov. Burt Jones' campaign and Rick Jackson's campaign for comment. We'll be sure to provide that information as it becomes available.
