Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said Tuesday he has a decisive advantage in the state’s Republican gubernatorial runoff due to endorsements from both President Donald Trump and Governor Brian Kemp.
Jones, who finished first in last month’s primary but fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff, told reporters his campaign has secured the rare dual backing from top Republican figures. “We’ve got the president’s endorsement, which is the most powerful endorsement in the country, and we have Gov. Kemp’s endorsement, who’s the most popular elected official here in the state of Georgia,” Jones said. “That’s a pretty good one-two punch.”
The race has drawn national attention because Trump and Kemp, whose relationship was strained following the 2020 election, have often backed different candidates in Georgia Republican primaries. Jones said he is the only candidate in the race to secure endorsements from both Republican leaders and credited his working relationships with each for earning their support. “Nobody else has been able to garner that support,” he added.
The lieutenant governor also highlighted his longstanding ties to Trump, portraying the relationship as evidence he would be well-positioned to work with the White House if elected governor. “I’ve known President Trump for 10 years now,” Jones said. “I get to talk to the president of the United States a couple of times a week if I want to.”
Jones praised Trump’s performance in office and stated he wants to work alongside the president as Georgia’s next governor. “Obviously, the president is a great friend. He’s doing a fantastic job as our commander in chief,” Jones said. “We’re so proud to have his support.”
The lieutenant governor noted that his campaign gained momentum after emerging from an eight-candidate primary field with the largest share of the vote. Looking ahead to a potential general election matchup, Jones signaled he would welcome a race against Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor and Biden administration official. Jones argued that Bottoms carries political baggage from her tenure leading Atlanta and said Republicans would have a strong case against her record if she becomes the Democrat nominee.
