President Trump claims Iran war is over in phone call with Bert Jones
The president claimed in a phone call with Georgia Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones that the Iran war is over.
The Trump campaign may be hedging its bets on the Republican gubernatorial primary runoff in Georgia after Donald Trump Jr. has announced support for the opponent of the candidate his father supported.
Lt. Gov. Bert Jones will face healthcare CEO Rick Jackson after a competitive primary in the Peach State. Neither candidate had a 50% majority in May, forcing their campaigns to move toward Tuesday’s primary runoff. It is the most expensive gubernatorial race in the state’s history, and the Republican candidate who will face Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, in November has not yet been determined.
Jones, a vocal supporter of MAGA and a 2020 election denier, received support from the president before Jackson ran and has maintained his support through multiple “calls” held on Jones’ behalf. The current lieutenant governor has long maintained support from Georgia’s MAGA base, supporting bills such as open carry on college campuses and Georgia’s six-week abortion ban.
But it was surprising that the health care giant entered the race not just late in the preliminary season, but as a fully self-funded candidate. Mr. Jackson has campaigned as a candidate similar to Mr. Trump, a political outsider and businessman who can run Georgia like a multimillion-dollar company and a fervent supporter of the president in a state that has attracted Mr. Trump’s attention for the past six years.
Don Jr. calls Jackson a ‘good guy’
The day before Georgia’s runoff elections began, Donald Trump Jr. told X that he personally supported Jackson, not as a candidate, but as a person.
“Regardless of what happens in tomorrow’s Georgia gubernatorial election, we should celebrate MAGA and the patriots like (Rick Jackson) who are building an America First economy,” Trump Jr. wrote in a June 15 post. “This was a hard-fought battle with a lot of mud-throwing, but I know Rick Jackson is a good guy, and that’s very important.”
According to the president’s son, Trump Jr. went on to praise Jackson for investing in the last amoxicillin (antibiotic) manufacturing plant in the United States after the rest of the industry was outsourced to China. He also said that the oil refining ban failed to provide funding to the industry and that Jackson was the “largest outside investor” during the oil refining shortage.
The post could easily be read as an expression of Jackson’s support for Georgia’s governor, but many online took it that way until Trump Jr. clarified his message with a second post about 25 minutes later.
“By the way, this is not an endorsement of Rick and I think[Burt Jones]is a great guy too. All I’m saying is that no matter who wins tomorrow, it’s a MAGA victory,” Trump Jr. wrote.
Jones and Jackson battle over MAGA base in Georgia
With Mr. Jackson and Mr. Jones vying for the same support, Mr. Jackson is being forced to find other ways to resonate with the MAGA base that doesn’t rely on Mr. Trump’s vocal support.
In one political ad, which is known to air on television stations across the state, Jackson says that if he were elected governor, illegal immigrants in the state would eventually be “deported or deported.” The ad sparked controversy online over its strong and seemingly black-and-white message about immigration. This was also in response to Jones asking Jackson during the debate whether he had hired illegal immigrants to work on his property in Cumming, Georgia, and when questioned, Jackson responded, “I don’t know.”
The two have continued to cross political lines, with Jones appearing alone at the debate after Jackson canceled due to scheduling conflicts, and Jackson launching a seemingly endless advertising campaign on both television and the mail.
Mr. Jones surprisingly secured a last-minute endorsement from Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, while Mr. Jackson has the support of former Florida Governor Rick Scott. Opinion polls showed the candidates heading into the runoff relatively evenly matched.
Steve Kornacki, NBC’s chief political analyst, told USA TODAY ahead of the May primary that Jackson’s message may be effective in defeating Jones in the primary, but it will be difficult to carry into the general election in Georgia.
“Obviously (Jackson) is trying to beat a pro-Trump candidate in the Republican primary, but it’s going to be very difficult to do that in 2026, and the Trump support is very strong. Jackson is trying to find a way to be almost MAGA than the pro-Trump candidate. I think that’s certainly how I read that in that primary. I think there’s a pretty big difference between Jackson, Jones and the rest (candidates),” Kornacki said. he said. “It’s an interesting question how that will affect the general election. Is there such a thing as too many MAGAs for Georgia? I certainly think there is.”
When are the Georgia runoff elections?
The midterm primary runoff election will be held on Tuesday, June 16th. Voting will take place across the state from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Eileen Wright is an Atlanta Connect reporter for USA Today’s Deep South Connect team, covering midterm races in Georgia. X Find her at @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
