Georgia voters finalized their choice for the GOP gubernatorial candidate in the state’s primary runoff election on Tuesday, sending self-funded billionaire Rick Jackson to the general election later this year against Democrat contender former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms.
While Jones entered the night as the frontrunner, boosted by the powerful endorsement of President Donald Trump, results quickly revealed that Jackson had consolidated crucial support in the Atlanta metropolitan and surrounding areas.
Jones’ key support base—the state’s rural counties—was unable to bridge the gap, cementing a roughly 5.5-point electoral upset for Jackson when the race was called.
When the race was called by the Associated Press at 9:45 p.m. ET, Jackson led with 52.7 percent of the vote to Jones’ 47.3 percent. …