Georgia GOP Governor Race: Jones vs Jackson

0:00It's April 23rd. This is Durham News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Georgia's Republican primary for governor is heating up with Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones facing off against billionaire Rick Jackson. Jones, backed by President Trump's endorsement, holds the state's Senate reigns but can't match Jackson's massive spending over $50 million, so far. Instead, Jones pushed bills to block Jackson's health care company from state contracts, and aiming to disqualify him from the race entirely. That move flopped hard in the legislature, and now Jones is hitting back with TV ads slamming Jackson as a taxpayer ripoff artist. Jackson fires right back, calling Jones corrupt and spotlighting those no-bid pandemic deals worth nearly a billion dollars. The May 19th primary also features Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger turning this into a real brawl. Jones boiled over at the state capital, where House Republicans shut down Jones' anti-Jackson

1:01push and felt sidelined on tax cuts and voting. Machine plans. House Speaker Pro Tim, Jan Jones, jumpship to endorse Jackson, saying he's the reliable choice for affordability. Allies like Senator Matt Brass praised Jones as a front-line leader, but the bad blood runs deep after years of clashes. Election headaches add fuel, with a July 1st deadline to ditch barcode ballots sparking talk of a special summer session. Jones push for hand-marked paper backups amid old Trump-era disputes, but officials warn it'll cost big and invite lawsuits. Taxfights fizzle too big, income tax phase outdream shrunk to a slow cut, while property tax caps got watered down. This messy session might haunt Jones' campaign as House Republicans lean toward Jackson shaking up the Trump loyalty play. With cash flowing and grudges growing, George's GOP picks days wide open.