ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Republican Burt Jones made his long-telegraphed entry into the 2026 governor's race on Tuesday, touting his ties with President Donald Trump and pledging to eliminate Georgia's state income tax in a campaign video.
"I don't back down from tough fights — I step up to deliver results — and that's exactly what I'll continue doing as governor,” Jones said in a statement.
He joins Attorney General Chris Carr among the top GOP candidates in the race to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp, who can't run again because of term limits. Other Republican candidates who could enter the race include Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Republicans are trying to hold onto a governor's chair that they have won in every election since 2002, even as Georgia has elected two Democratic U.S. senators and has become among the nation's most competitive states at the presidential level. Democrats seeking to end that dominance include former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, state Sen. Jason Esteves and state Rep. Derrick Jackson.
Jones was among the first Republicans in Georgia to endorse Trump before the 2016 election. He was one of 16 state Republicans who signed certificates stating that Trump had won Georgia and declaring themselves the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors even though Democrat Joe Biden had been declared the state’s winner. Jones also pushed for a special session in Georgia aimed at overturning Biden's narrow win in the state. Prosecutors considered filing criminal charges against Jones, but rejected the move, concluding Jones did not act with criminal intent.
Jones touted that peril as proof that he is an authentic supporter of Trump in a speech at the state Republican convention last month in Dalton.
“I’ve been the Trump guy since 2015, not ’16," Jones said. "I’ve taken all the battle scars and everything else. I know who ran and hid during 2020 and everything else. The circle is small.”
Carr and Raffensperger both have taken fire from Trump over their refusal to back moves to overturn the 2020 election. However, if Greene enters the race, it could scramble the race for Trump's core voters in the primary.
As lieutenant governor, Jones has presided over a heavily Republican state Senate that has pursued an aggressive brand of conservative policy that has often been watered down or rejected by the more moderate state House. Democrats say they will make that sharp-edged right-wing agenda an issue in the race.
“Jones’ partisan, disastrous record could not be more out-of-touch with Georgians ” Democratic Governors Association spokesperson Kevin Donohoe said in a statement Tuesday.
But Jones has also pursued a set of initiatives aimed at children and families that could have more appeal to the broader electorate, including a substantial child tax credit that Kemp signed into law this year.
“What do I call all that we’ve accomplished together? Just a start,” Jones said in the video. “Because our work’s not done yet. And that’s why I’m running for governor.”
Jones pledged to “completely eliminate the state income tax,” said he would seek the death penalty for people illegally selling the drug fentanyl, and touted his support for maintaining Georgia's ban on transgender girls in girls' sports.
The 46-year-old Jones is heir to a large petroleum distribution business and founder of an insurance agency. He lives in Jackson, southeast of Atlanta, and served 10 years in the state Senate before winning election as lieutenant governor in 2022.
His family money could help finance his campaign, as could $14 million that Jones said he has raised for his leadership committee as lieutenant governor. That unusual fundraising vehicle allows Jones to raise unlimited campaign contributions, even while legislators are meeting. Most other officials, including Carr, can only raise limited amounts and can't cash checks during legislative sessions. Carr's campaign has already signaled it will renew court challenges to leadership committees if Jones tries to spend that cash on the governor's race.
Jones hopes that money, as well as his Trump ties, will help cast him as the front-runner. But although Jones and Carr have differences, they both are making the same appeal, that Georgians should continue electing Republicans to run things.
“We've had a great run here in this state, and there’s nothing but opportunity in front of us,” Jones said at the Republican convention. “But we've got to keep good leadership.”
Jeff Amy, The Associated Press
