Billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson wins the Georgia Republican gubernatorial runoff, defeating the candidate backed by President Donald Trump. Multiple outlets report that Jackson had been relatively little known to voters earlier in the election cycle, but he secures the GOP nomination by overcoming Trump’s preferred choice.
With the Republican runoff decided, Jackson is set to face Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Democratic nominee, in the November general election. Bottoms is identified by outlets as the former Atlanta mayor and is reported to be the Democratic contender selected for the statewide race.
Coverage across the outlets emphasizes the shift in expectations after Jackson’s victory, as well as the battleground nature of Georgia’s governor’s race. NBC News projects Jackson’s win and describes it as a move to a high-stakes general election contest. Overall reporting agrees on the key outcomes: Jackson carries the GOP runoff, Trump-backed Burt Jones is defeated, and the matchup in November is Jackson versus Bottoms.
