Georgia Republicans Lose Ground
Georgia Democrats regained power from Republicans in statewide offices for the first time in 24 years, according to the reported election results. The report says Democrats turned out more voters than Republicans in most jurisdictions, while many Republicans stayed home. Guest contributor Garland Favorito argues that the Republican primary fight helped explain that absence. A year before the 2026 election, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones appeared to be the party’s strongest path to the governor’s mansion. President Trump endorsed Jones in August. Jones had been one of four lawmakers who called for a special session to investigate irregularities in the 2020 election. Favorito also credits him with bringing the Georgia GOP’s grassroots and establishment wings together.
Jones Built a Broad GOP Coalition
That coalition was visible in the June primary runoff against Rick Jackson. Jones had endorsements from every Republican state senator, more than 50 state House members, more than 50 county sheriffs, and Gov. Brian Kemp, who backed him the day before Election Day. He also drew support from Turning Point, the Georgia Republican Assembly, Frontline Policy, and other grassroots groups. Favorito says Jones received strong scorecards from the State Freedom Caucus and VoterGA, plus support from Faith and Freedom Coalition members. The account estimates that roughly 80 percent of Georgia GOP members supported Jones. His record included five terms in the state Senate, business experience, and a role as a walk-on defensive co-captain for the 2002 Georgia Bulldogs team that won the SEC title.
Dark Money Group Enters the Race
Favorito says the race changed in late November 2025, when a dark money group called Georgians for Integrity began running negative ads against Jones. The article describes the group as created by out-of-state players and says it listed only one Georgia resident. It was registered by Ohio attorney Kimberly Land and represented by a Washington, D.C., law office that employed Charlie Spies, a former Republican chief legal counsel described in the article as a Never Trumper. The account says Land also registered Alabama Patients First, which ran negative dark money ads supporting Jackson Hospital, operated by health care billionaire Rick Jackson. In December, Jackson donated $1 million to one of Trump’s political action committees, received a complimentary video from Jones, and then announced his gubernatorial campaign.
A $100 Million Air War
According to the article, Jackson later spent more than $100 million on a mostly false negative campaign aimed at portraying Jones as corrupt. Favorito says he had volunteered at the legislature throughout Jones’s Senate tenure and had never heard those accusations from lawmakers. The spending reached television, internet podcasts, and direct mail. Favorito says he received at least 49 mail pieces during the primary, with at least 20 carrying distorted attacks on Jones. Two allegedly implied that Jackson had Kemp’s endorsement, while another 15 promoted Jackson’s support for Trump even as he attacked Trump’s endorsed candidate. The article calls that contrast especially serious because it says Jackson acknowledged donating to nearly every Never Trump Republican candidate, while also promoting his Trump support.
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