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Updated on: June 16, 2026 / 9:48 PM EDT
/ CBS Atlanta
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Rick Jackson, the billionaire healthcare executive who grew up in poverty and spent time in Atlanta's public housing projects, has won the Republican runoff for Georgia governor, CBS News projects.Jackson is projected to have defeated Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to claim the GOP nomination on Tuesday.Jackson's victory ends one of the most contentious Republican primary battles Georgia has seen in years, a race that produced two lawsuits, a defamation claim, and a mobile billboard circling metro Atlanta.The self-described conservative outsider entered the race in February 2026 and quickly reshaped the contest, pledging up to $50 million of his own money to the campaign and spending more than any other candidate in the field. According to advertising intelligence company AdImpact, Jackson's campaign and allied spending totaled more than $50 million on television ads alone heading into the runoff.Jackson built his campaign around a compelling personal story: growing up in poverty, moving through five foster homes and 13 schools, and living in Atlanta's Techwood Homes projects before building Jackson Healthcare into a company that operates in all 50 states, serves more than 20 million patients annually, and generates more than $3 billion in revenue.Attorney General Chris Carr endorsed Jackson after finishing fourth in the May primary. Carr praised Jackson as a "successful businessman and political outsider" who would "build on Brian Kemp's legacy."In the days before the runoff, Jackson secured another high-profile endorsement from Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
