Rick Jackson, Burt Jones ads features Brian Kemp, despite no endorsement in governor’s runoff
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp hasn’t endorsed any of the candidates aiming to become the state’s 83rd chief executive this fall.
But casual viewers might not know that should they happen to see new ads from two men hoping to move into West Paces Ferry’s most prestigious address next year.
In one ad, entitled “Great Story,” Kemp calls Rick Jackson a “good supporter” of his with a “great story.” Kemp adds that Georgia’s gubernatorial race is “ripe for a political outsider.”
Late last month, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones also released an ad that ties him directly to Kemp’s leadership.
.@BrianKempGA and I delivered results for Georgia—more jobs, lower taxes, and real relief for families and seniors.
— Burt Jones (@burtjonesforga) May 30, 2026
With President Trump’s endorsement, I’m ready to keep Georgia winning! Join us at https://t.co/EA9u00sGWQ pic.twitter.com/V1pjNK1qWt
Jackson and Jones are facing each other in a nationally watched June 16, 2026, runoff that already has shattered spending records for a Georgia governor’s primary. Jones and Jackson finished first and second, respectively, in last month’s GOP gubernatorial primary, but neither man was able to capture the requisite majority to avoid a runoff.
A spokesperson for Kemp released a statement, stating “the only candidate the governor has endorsed in the runoff elections thus far is Derek Dooley, and any insinuation to the contrary is not true.”
Georgia’s political June: Runoffs, redistricting and a pivotal month ahead
Jones has the endorsement of President Donald Trump, but the lieutenant governor, once thought to be the GOP’s presumptive gubernatorial nominee this fall, is now engaged in a political war of attrition against Jackson, whose unexpected outsider-based candidacy threw the race into an entirely new political spectrum.
For his part, Jones appeared next to an empty podium in this past weekend’s Atlanta Press Club debate, while Jackson held a Cobb County campaign event alongside U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida.
Jackson’s campaign cited a scheduling conflict, and Jones seized on the absence from the opening moments, telling the audience, “I’m sorry that my opponent decided not to show up today,” and repeatedly framing the runoff as a measure of accountability.
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