Jones and Jackson Campaigns Duck Accountability as Primary Heat Rises
ATLANTA, GA — In the high-stakes theater of the 2026 Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary, the airwaves are screaming, but the candidates have gone silent.
As of today’s publishing deadline, neither the campaign of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones nor that of healthcare executive Rick Jackson has responded to a series of pointed inquiries regarding the increasingly personal and legal nature of their rivalry. On March 14, A.T.L. N.E.W.S. issued formal requests for comment to both camps, providing a five-day window for a response by March 19. That deadline passed without a word from either side.
This silence comes as top political advertisers have now committed a staggering $77 million to Georgia’s airwaves, turning the race into one of the most expensive and vitriolic primaries in state history.
The “Stone-Cold” Shift
The central friction of the race remains the whiplash-inducing shift in rhetoric. Only months ago, Lt. Gov. Jones was featured in videos praising Rick Jackson’s “leadership and heart” regarding foster care initiatives. Today, Jackson’s ads label Jones a “stone-cold liar,” while Jones’s camp has retaliated by characterizing Jackson’s business empire as “recruiting for Planned Parenthood.”
In our March 14 inquiry to Jackson’s lead strategist, Mr. Schrimpf, we asked for the “definitive turning point” that led Jackson to this harsh re-characterization of his opponent. We also sought clarity on Jackson’s pledge to “unwind” his company, Jackson Healthcare, from over $1 billion in state contracts—a move that critics argue could leave a vacuum in Georgia’s medical staffing.
“Lawfare” and Leadership Funds
The battle has moved from the cul-de-sacs to the courtrooms. Jackson’s recent defamation lawsuit against Jones has been dismissed by the Lieutenant Governor’s team as “lawfare” and a “Stacey Abrams tactic.”
In our outreach to Jones’s spokesperson, Ms. Lott, we requested the campaign’s stance on whether this level of intra-party litigation would permanently bruise the eventual nominee. Furthermore, we asked how the Lieutenant Governor plans to navigate the recent federal stay on his “leadership committee” funds—a ruling that has temporarily frozen a roughly $15.9 million war chest that opponents call an “unfair advantage.”
The Questions They Won’t Answer
Transparency is the bedrock of a healthy primary. In the interest of our readers, we are publishing the specific questions that both campaigns chose not to address:
To the Rick Jackson Campaign:
- On Shared History: What was the definitive turning point that led you to call a man who recently praised you a “stone-cold liar”?
- On State Contracts: What is the specific mechanism for “unwinding” Jackson Healthcare from state business without disrupting care?
- On the MAGA Base: How do you convince Trump supporters you are the “outsider” when the President has already endorsed your opponent?
To the Burt Jones Campaign:
- On the Planned Parenthood Claim: What specific revelations led the campaign to shift from praising Jackson to accusing his business of “recruiting for Planned Parenthood”?
- On the Funding Freeze: How does the campaign respond to claims that the “leadership committee” gave an unconstitutional advantage over rivals?
- On the “Newness” Factor: What is the core message once the initial $50 million ad blitz from the Jackson camp settles?
Looking Ahead: The Podium Test
The candidates may be able to ignore emails, but they won’t be able to ignore an empty podium.
Early voting in Georgia begins on April 27, leading up to the May 19 primary. Before then, the Atlanta Press Club’s “Loudermilk-Young” Debate Series is expected to host the first face-to-face encounter between these two titans in early May. With a potential June 16 runoff looming if neither candidate clears the 50% mark, the pressure for a public defense of these $77 million claims has never been higher.
For now, the voters of Georgia are left with two things: a barrage of negative ads and a pair of silent campaigns.