Stacey Abrams, Chris Carr make endorsements in Georgia primary election runoffs
Two big names in Georgia politics have recently made endorsements ahead of the statewide primary runoffs.
On Monday, Attorney General Chris Carr announced that he would be supporting healthcare billionaire Rick Jackson in the Republican gubernatorial primary runoff against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.
Carr, who came in fourth during the May primary, praised Jackson as a "successful businessman & political outsider."
"Rick will build on Brian Kemp's legacy — creating jobs, backing law enforcement & looking after the best interests of all Georgians," Carr wrote on X.
In the months leading up to the primary, Carr and Jones had fought over campaign funding, with the attorney general asking a judge to permanently cut off the lieutenant governor's ability to spend money from Jones' leadership committee. In response, a campaign spokesperson for Jones had described Carr as a hypocrite.
Jackson thanked Carr for the endorsement, saying he was "grateful for his confidence in our campaign."
"No one understands what our state needs to continue moving forward better than Chris. He's been a great leader for Georgia, and his support means a great deal to me," Jackson wrote.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State's data, Jackson received 32.51% of the primary vote, putting him in second place to Jones' 38.36%.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who came in third during the primary, has not endorsed either candidate at this time. Neither has Gov. Brian Kemp, who is leaving the position due to term limits.
Stacey Abrams makes endorsement in lieutenant governor's race
On the Democratic side, Stacey Abrams, the two-time nominee for governor, put her support behind state Sen. Josh McLaurin in the runoff for the lieutenant governor nomination.
McLaurin appeared to be the favorite in the race until the final day of qualifying, when former state Sen. Nabilah Parkes suddenly switched from running for state insurance commissioner, leading to a competitive primary.
, McLaurin received around 20,000 votes more than Parkes, a narrow margin that lead to a runoff between the two.
"For too long, Georgia has been ground zero for attacks on working families, on voting rights, and on democracy; and it has taken fighters like Josh McLaurin to protect our communities," Abrams said in a statement. "Whether as an attorney, a legislator or a community leader, Josh works to deliver for all of us - from health care to affordable housing to basic human dignity."
McLaurin said that he was "deeply honored" by Abrams's support, crediting her work inspiring voters as a reason the race in November will be competitive.
Whoever wins in June's runoff will compete against the winner of the Republican runoff, which has come down to either Senate President Pro Tem John Kennedy or state Sen. Greg Dolezal.
Abrams has not yet endorsed former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who avoided a runoff to become the Democratic nominee for governor.
