ATLANTA — On Tuesday, voters headed back to the polls for a number of primary runoff races, including the Republican nomination for governor.
Rick Jackson faced off with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the runoff to see who will take over as the state’s top official.
The Associated Press has now declared Jackson the winner. He will advance to the November general election against former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
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Jackson presented himself as a businessman running as an outsider, not a career politician, and comparing his story and value’s with Trump. His surprise entrance and pledge to spend at least $50 million of his own money jolted the Republican primary.
He finished with nearly 33% of the vote in the May 19 primary.
Since jumping into the race, polls showed Jackson leading or within striking distance of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.
In 2000, he founded Jackson Healthcare, which provides healthcare staffing and workforce services.
Jackson Healthcare earned nearly $1 billion from 2020 through 2026 — most during the COVID-19 pandemic — from various Georgia agencies through state contracts.
Jackson Healthcare is privately-held and reports more than $3 billion in annual revenue.
He founded his first medical recruitment business in 1978.
Jackson said he grew up in midtown Atlanta in the foster care system. Jackson said he “moved through five foster homes and thirteen schools and spent time living in the Techwood Homes projects in Atlanta.”
In the 2010s, Jackson paid to promote an unsuccessful overhaul of Georgia medical malpractice claims and wanted to privatize the state’s foster care system.
Jackson lives in Cumming in a 47,000-square-foot mansion. He and his wife Melody have three children. Shane Jackson is president of Jackson Healthcare, and Chad Jackson runs the Jackson Family Foundation.
In 2015, Jackson co-produced the film 90 Minutes in Heaven.
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After the election was called on Tuesday night, Bottoms shared a statement accusing her opponent of trying to get rich.
“Rick Jackson is focused on enriching himself as Georgians are losing their health care coverage and are forced to pay soaring costs. Jackson has made more than a billion dollars off of a no-bid state contract for his health care company, but he opposes Medicaid expansion to lower the cost of health care. Georgians deserve a governor who is focused on ensuring they have every opportunity to thrive and who will fight for them when Donald Trump’s reckless policies hurt Georgia – that’s what I will do as governor. I will get to work to lower costs, expand Medicaid, and invest in Georgians’ education.”
— Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms
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