¶ Overview
In an unearthed audio from Jackson's Columbus rally in August 2026, Jackson told an attendee he feared Democrats would “cheat” during the November election and said Governor Kemp would deploy the National Guard to “watch” the election he was trying to win. Jackson's comments came amid concerns Trump could use the military to interfere with elections across the country.
Rick Jackson repeatedly pushed election denialism and undermined the results of the 2020 election. He called the 2020 election “totally ridiculous” and “terrible,” and attacked Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger as “Judas” for not overturning the 2020 election. Jackson also accused Fulton County of “cheating on voting” for the last 40 years and trying to “keep the truth in dark” after a federal subpoena sought personal data of election workers and volunteers during the 2020 election.
¶ Jackson Told A Columbus Rally Attendee Governor Kemp Would Deploy The National Guard To “Watch” The Election He Was Trying To Win
HEADLINE: "Rick Jackson Says Brian Kemp Plans To Get The National Guard To Help With 2026 Elections" [Washington Examiner, 8/25/26]
HEADLINE: "Georgia GOP Candidate Says 'Federal Troops' Will 'Watch' Midterm Elections" [AlterNet, 8/25/26]
HEADLINE: "Republican Overheard In Audio Claiming Gov Will Surge Troops On Election Day" [Raw Story, 8/25/26]
August 2026: In An Unearthed Audio, Jackson Told A Columbus Rally Attendee He Feared Democrats Would “Cheat” During The November Election And Claimed Governor Kemp Would Deploy The National Guard To “Watch” The Election He Was Trying To Win. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Republican Rick Jackson assured a nervous attendee at a recent rally that Gov. Brian Kemp will call up the Georgia National Guard to monitor the midterm elections in November. The assertion by the GOP nominee for governor comes amid an ongoing fight over whether the military will be deployed to polling sites across the country during the election. In audio obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, an attendee of Jackson’s Aug. 13 rally in Columbus told him he feared Democrats would ‘cheat.’ ‘I know, we’re going to have people watching out for us,’ Jackson responded. The supporter then urged Jackson to seek help from President Donald Trump, who hasn’t ruled out deploying troops or federal agents to polling sites in November. ‘Trump’s got federal troops. Can you call up and get some federal troops from Trump?’ he asked. ‘Well, we’ll get National Guard — Gov. Kemp is going to watch it for us,’ Jackson replied. ‘Is that right?’ the supporter asked. ‘Yes, he’s going to get the National Guard,’ Jackson responded." [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/25/26]
Jackson’s Comments Came Amid Concerns Trump And GOP Allies Could Use The Military To Interfere With Elections After He Called On Republicans To “Take Over” Elections. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "The assertion by the GOP nominee for governor comes amid an ongoing fight over whether the military will be deployed to polling sites across the country during the election. [...] Jackson’s comments come amid mounting concern from voting rights groups and Democrats that Trump and his GOP allies could use the military to interfere with the vote. Trump has repeatedly left the possibility open, saying he would ‘do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections.’ He’s also suggested that Republicans should ‘take over’ voting procedures in parts of the country." [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/25/26]
¶ Jackson Undermined The 2020 Election Results
¶ Jackson Called The 2020 Election “Totally Ridiculous” And “Terrible”
HEADLINE: "Election Denier Rick Jackson Wins Georgia GOP Governor Primary Runoff” [Democracy Docket, 6/16/26]
Jackson Said “What Happened In 2020 Is Just Terrible." According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Jackson has said ‘what happened in 2020 is just terrible,’ and that it’s ‘really easy to believe that, for the last 40 years, Fulton County has been cheating on voting.’" [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/17/26]
Jackson Said “What Happened In 2020” Was “Totally Ridiculous” And “Our People Really Let Us Down.” According to Politico, “At the event in Homer, Jackson was pressed during a question-and-answer session about whether he thought the 2020 election had been stolen from Trump in Georgia. He was adamant that it had been: ‘That was totally ridiculous what happened in 2020 and our people really let us down.’ He and Jones, along with some of the most conservative factions of the party, still believe there were irregularities in the state’s 2020 count despite recounts and litigation proving otherwise.” [Politico, 4/23/26]
¶ Jackson Slammed Raffensperger For Not Overturning The Election Results
Jackson Claimed The 2020 Election Was “Ridiculous” And Slammed Georgia Secretary Of State Raffensperger As “Judas” For Not Overturning The 2020 Election. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Trump’s 2020 defeat is not a faded memory in Georgia. It is a campaign issue for some and a litmus test for others ahead of the Tuesday primary. In some corners of the GOP electorate, loyalty to Trump’s version of 2020 could become a means of political survival. The aftershocks of 2020 are no longer confined to history or court filings. They are woven through Georgia’s 2026 midterms. [...] Billionaire Rick Jackson, deadlocked with Jones in recent polls, has maintained that it’s ‘totally ridiculous what happened in 2020’ and slammed Raffensperger as a traitorous ‘Judas’ when he entered the race in February.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/15/26]
- Jackson Launched An Attack Ad Against Primary Opponent Raffensperger For Refusing To Overturn The 2020 Election, Implying He Betrayed Trump. According to the Associated Press, "Jones’ runoff rival, billionaire and political newcomer Rick Jackson, is among the Republicans who does not talk much about the 2020 election. But he spent a slice of the $83 million he invested in his own campaign on an ad attacking outgoing Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, another GOP candidate for governor who resisted Trump’s urging to help find ‘find 11,800 votes’ to reverse Biden’s victory in 2020. In the ad, a child is shown asking his mother why she chose the name Brad. The mother replies that her second choice was ‘Judas’ – in the New Testament account, the name of the disciple who betrays Jesus to Roman authorities. The full name ‘Brad ‘Judas’ Raffensperger’ appeared on the screen at the end of the spot." [Associated Press, 5/20/26]
¶ Jackson Repeatedly Attacked Fulton County And Accused Them Of “Cheating On Voting” For The Last 40 Years
¶ Jackson: “For The Last 40 Years, Fulton County Has Been Cheating On Voting”
Jackson Said It Was “Really Easy To Believe That, For The Last 40 Years, Fulton County Has Been Cheating On Voting.” According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Jackson has said ‘what happened in 2020 is just terrible,’ and that it’s ‘really easy to believe that, for the last 40 years, Fulton County has been cheating on voting.’" [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/17/26]
¶ Jackson Accused Fulton County Of Trying To “Keep The Truth In The Dark” After A Federal Subpoena Sought Personal Data About Election Staffers, Poll Workers, And Volunteers During The 2020 Election
Jackson Accused Fulton County Of Trying To “Keep The Truth In The Dark” After Fulton County Officials Reportedly Were Trying To Block A Federal Subpoena Seeking Personal Information About Thousands Of Election Staffers, Poll Workers, And Volunteers During The 2020 Election. According to Rick Jackson’s Twitter, "If Fulton County worked half as hard to clean up voter rolls as it does to keep the truth in the dark, people might actually trust the system. Greg Bluestein @bluestein: Breaking: Fulton County elections officials are racing to block a federal subpoena seeking personal information about thousands of election staffers, poll workers and volunteers who helped administer the November 2020 election."
[Twitter, @RickJacksonGA, 5/5/26]