Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) endorsed a candidate Sunday in Georgia’s close gubernatorial election, less than 48 hours before voters head to the polls.
Kemp followed in President Donald Trump’s footsteps with his decision to endorse Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Republican gubernatorial primary runoff. Jones is facing businessman Rick Jackson on Tuesday, after neither GOP candidate secured more than 50% of the vote in last month’s primary election. Kemp called his No. 2 “a strong, trusted ally” in a lengthy statement explaining his endorsement, as polls indicate another razor-thin outcome.
Jones “worked hard alongside me and my administration to return over $9 billion back to taxpayers, raise pay and retirement benefits for state law enforcement, and he never wavered when we took on the special interests to pass meaningful tort reform for the first time in twenty years,” the Georgia governor wrote. “The hardest part about being governor is making decisions that aren’t always popular or easy. I’ve worked alongside Burt for nearly fifteen years and I’m confident that he will always put hardworking Georgians first.”
Kemp’s move echoed Trump’s decision last year to back Jones, whom the president described at the time as “a WARRIOR, a successful Businessman, [and] former SEC Championship winning Georgia Bulldogs football player (Known for his toughness!).” Kemp’s endorsement announcement marks a blow to Jackson, who had sought to appeal to the governor, including through ads.
Though the governor backed Trump in the gubernatorial race, the two recently split ways in the state’s closely watched Senate race, where Republicans are also voting in a runoff election Tuesday after the primary ended in a stalemate.
Kemp has endorsed former football coach Derek Dooley as the GOP’s best bet to oust Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA). But on Sunday, Trump backed Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) in the race. The president promised Collins would “work hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Strengthen our incredible Military/Veterans, Advance Election Integrity, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment.”
Ahead of Tuesday’s election, Kemp and Trump have touted Jones as the best gubernatorial candidate to face Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms in November.
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“I’m not doing this to be against Rick Jackson, I’m for Burt Jones,” Kemp told voters on Monday, during a campaign appearance alongside Jones at Tommy’s Barber Shop in Atlanta.
“I believe Burt Jones will make a strong case to the voters for four more years of conservative leadership that ensures our state’s best days are ahead, while Democrats try to run from Keisha Lance Bottoms’ record of complete failure as mayor of Atlanta,” Kemp said in a post to X. “Burt knows how to get things done as governor because that’s what he has done as a state senator and as your Lt. Governor.”