¶ Overview
Rick Jackson seemingly became an ardent Trump supporter and courted Trump’s approval for his gubernatorial campaign after Jackson benefitted from Trump’s devastating tax cuts and tariff policies.
Even though Rick Jackson donated to Nikki Haley’s and Vivek Ramaswamy’s presidential campaigns in 2024, Jackson claimed “nobody supports [Trump] more than I do now” as he campaigned for governor. Rick Jackson even celebrated how Trump’s tariff policies and the tax cuts from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” grew his wealth. Eight weeks before launching his gubernatorial bid, Rick Jackson donated $1 million to MAGA Inc., which Republican operatives claimed could have been an attempt to sway Trump on his endorsement of Burt Jones for Georgia governor.
Rick Jackson’s primary opponents repeatedly scrutinized Rick Jackson for using his wealth to influence the gubernatorial election. Burt Jones cast Jackson as an “out of touch billionaire” who was selling“bullshit” and using his money to “portray something that he’s not.” Jones also accused “Slick Rick” of being a “Never Trumper” who donated to Jeb Bush and Liz Cheney. Chris Carr blasted Rick Jackson for being one of the “really rich guys that are trying to buy the race” and scrutinized self-funders like Jackson who ran for office in Georgia.
¶ Despite Previously Donating To Trump’s Opponents, Rick Jackson Benefitted From Trump’s Tax Cuts And Tariffs And Donated To MAGA Inc. Eight Weeks Before Launching His Campaign For Governor
¶ Rick Jackson Acknowledged Donating To Trump’s Opponents, But Said “Nobody Supports Him More Than I Do Now” After Benefitting From Trump’s Tax Cuts And Tariff Policies
Rick Jackson Acknowledged Donating To Trump’s Opponents And Said “Nobody Supports Him More Than I Do Now,” Highlighting “He Has Come Around Since Early On With Trump.” According to the LaGrange Daily News, “Jackson also acknowledged giving political donations to opponents of President Trump. ‘Like J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio, I've given to everybody over the years,’ Jackson said, saying he has come around since early on with Trump. ‘Nobody supports him more than I do now. And from an ideological standpoint, I believe what he's doing is just an absolutely amazing job at the business decisions he's making. I completely support what he's doing in Iran.’” [LaGrange Daily News, 3/31/26]
¶ Rick Jackson Donated To Nikki Haley’s And Vivek Ramaswamy’s Presidential Campaigns
2024: Rick Jackson Donated To Nikki Haley’s And Vivek Ramaswamy’s Presidential Campaigns. According to Axios, “During the 2024 presidential campaign, Jackson donated to two of Trump's primary opponents, Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy.” [Axios, 3/17/26]
¶ Rick Jackson “Celebrated” How Trump’s “Tariffs And Tax Cuts Are Growing His Wealth”
March 6, 2026: During A Meet-And-Greet In Thomasville, Rick Jackson “Celebrated How Tariffs And Tax Cuts Are Growing His Wealth,” Claiming That Without The One Big Beautiful Bill’s Tax Cuts, He Would Be “Paying 40% More In Taxes Right Now.” According to the American Journal-News, “Rick Jackson, a Republican candidate for Georgia governor, celebrated how tariffs and tax cuts are growing his wealth, even as those same policies push working people into poverty. Jackson is the billionaire founder and CEO of Jackson Healthcare, a medical staffing company based in Alpharetta. He launched his campaign last month. He made the remarks during a March 6 meet-and-greet in Thomasville when a voter asked for his opinion of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), a GOP-backed law that will cut $1 trillion from Medicaid, primarily to fund tax breaks for wealthy people and big corporations. ‘We extended the tax deductions, which are good,’ Jackson said. ‘If [Trump] hadn’t passed it—I’ll be honest with you—I’d be paying 40% more in taxes right now. I’d rather that money go to nonprofits than the federal government, so I like that part.’” [American Journal-News, 3/20/26]
- Rick Jackson Touted Buying Stocks When The Stock Market Crashed In April 2025 Due To Trump’s Tariffs And Touted Making An “80% Return In Four Weeks.” According to the American Journal-News, “Jackson boasted at the same March 6 event about the positive effect President Donald Trump’s tariff policy had on his stock portfolio. ‘The stock market went down last April when Trump announced [tariffs],’ Jackson said. ‘I went and bought options on the day that happened because I knew that was crazy and made an 80% return in four weeks.’” [American Journal-News, 3/20/26]
¶ July 2025: Trump Signed The Final Version Of The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Into Law, Which Would Cause 17 Million Americans To Lose Their Health Care
July 2025: Trump Signed The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Into Law, Which Extended $4 Trillion In Expiring Tax Cuts, Added New Tax Breaks, Appropriated $448 Billion In Defense, Border, And Immigration Enforcement Funding, Increased The SALT Deduction To $40,000, And Cut Medicaid And Other Social Programs To Offset The Costs. In July 2025, Trump signed into law, according to Congressional Quarterly, the “motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would permanently extend nearly $4 trillion in expiring individual and business tax cuts, create several new tax breaks and fund border and immigration enforcement and air traffic control upgrades. It would cut Medicaid and other safety net programs to partly offset the cost. Among other provisions, it would raise the statutory debt ceiling by $5 trillion and appropriate more than $448 billion in mandatory funding for Trump administration priorities and other needs, including $153 billion for defense, $89 billion for immigration enforcement, and $89.5 billion for border control and security. It also would increase the state and local tax deduction cap to $40,000 annually for five years for households making up to $500,000 a year until 2030, when it would permanently revert to $10,000.” [Congressional Quarterly, 7/3/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
- HEADLINE: "At Least 17 Million Americans Would Lose Insurance Under Trump Plan" [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
- HEADLINE: “By The Numbers: Harmful Republican Megabill Favors The Wealthy And Leaves Millions Of Working Families Behind” [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 8/1/25]
- The Congressional Budget Office Estimated That 11.8 Million People Would Become Uninsured As A Result Of The Medicaid Cuts In Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill. According to the Washington Post, "The bill, which narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday and now heads back to the House, would effectively accomplish what Republicans have long failed to do: unwind many of the key components of the ACA, President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement, which dramatically increased the number of Americans with access to health insurance. To start, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Senate version of the bill would result in 11.8 million more uninsured in 2034, mostly because of Medicaid cuts, compared with 10.9 million if the House version became law." [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
¶ Rick Jackson Donated $1 Million To The Pro-Trump MAGA Inc. Eight Weeks Before Launching His Gubernatorial Campaign, Seemingly Trying To Sway Trump’s Endorsement Of Jones
December 2025: Rick Jackson Donated $1 Million To The Pro-Trump MAGA Inc. Eight Weeks Before Launching His Gubernatorial Campaign. According to Axios, “Billionaire Rick Jackson filed to run for Georgia governor at the last minute even though another Republican had been endorsed by President Trump. But Jackson made a move that helped put him in contention: He gave $1 million to Trump's political operation. Why it matters: Now Jackson, a political neophyte, is atop GOP polls and the latest wealthy individual to endear themself to Trump by funneling massive sums to the president's pet causes. […] The backstory: Jackson, an Atlanta health care executive, sent his $1 million donation to the pro-Trump MAGA Inc. super PAC on Dec. 10, eight weeks before launching his campaign.” [Axios, 3/17/26]
- Jackson Cited The Donation In His Campaign Announcement Video While His Campaign Denied He Was Seeking To “Buy Trump’s Support.” According to Axios, “Jackson has cited his December donation to Trump's team in courting the president's supporters. In his campaign announcement video, he declares: ‘I donated a million bucks to Trump, because Trump's success inspired me’ to run. The other side: Jackson's team adamantly denies he's trying to buy Trump's support. ‘Rick Jackson contributed to the president long before he decided to run for governor, and because he was inspired by all that the president is accomplishing,’ Jackson spokesperson Mike Schrimpf said.” [Axios, 3/17/26]
Republican Operatives Suspected Rick Jackson Donated To MAGA Inc. In Hopes Of Getting Trump To “Tamp Down” Praise For Burt Jones, Getting Trump To Rescind His Endorsement Of Jones, Persuading Trump To Endorse Both Jones And Jackson, Or Keeping Trump From Attacking Jackson During The Primary. According to Axios, “GOP operatives tracking the Georgia race tell Axios they suspect Jackson — who's planning to spend $50 million for the May 19 primary — made the donation partly with an eye toward swaying Trump. That could mean hoping that Trump tamps down some of his praise of the Republican he's endorsed in the race — Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a longtime ally who helped Trump's unsuccessful effort to overturn the president's 2020 election defeat in Georgia. Other possibilities, the operatives say: It could encourage Trump to withdraw his endorsement of Jones, or endorse both Jones and Jackson. One likely result: The donation could keep Trump from attacking Jackson.” [Axios, 3/17/26]
¶ Burt Jones Blasted Rick Jackson As “Slick Rick,” Accusing Him Of Being An “Out-Of-Touch Billionaire” And “Never Trumper” Pretending To Be MAGA
¶ Burt Jones Cast Rick Jackson As An “Out-Of-Touch Billionaire”
Burt Jones Cast Rick Jackson As An “Out-Of-Touch Billionaire And Closet Never Trumper.” According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Longtime politicos say the ferocity of the attacks is unmatched. Jones has cast Jackson, the founder of Jackson Healthcare, as an out-of-touch billionaire and closet Never Trumper.” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 3/20/26]
¶ Jones Implied Rick Jackson Was Selling “Bullshit” And Claimed Jackson Was “Trying To Portray Something That He's Not, And He's Doing It With A Lot Of Money”
April 2026: Jones Posted A Video Pointing To Bottles Of Barbecue Seasoning To Imply Rick Jackson Was Selling “BS.” According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Lt. Gov. Burt Jones posted a video of himself at a tire store in southwest Georgia holding a rather unusual prop. ‘I finally found what Rick Jackson is selling down here, I want y’all to look at that right here,’ he says, pointing to a can of barbecue seasoning sold by a Dahlonega-based company. The name of the product can’t be printed in a family newsletter. Let’s just say it rhymes with ‘full spit.’ Predictably, his rivals in the GOP race for governor didn’t let it sit for long. A Jackson campaign account quipped: ‘Didn’t get real property tax relief done. Didn’t get election integrity done. Couldn’t get his opponent kicked off the ballot. Burt’s record is BS, but don’t take our word for it!’” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/8/26]
- Jones Joked That He “Finally Found What Rick Jackson Is Selling,” Holding Two Bottles Of Barbecue Seasoning Called “Bullshit.” According to Burt Jones’ Twitter, “Amazing what you find on the campaign trail!”
[Twitter, @burtjonesforga, 4/7/26]
Jones Claimed “Slick Rick” Was “Trying To Portray Something That He's Not, And He's Doing It With A Lot Of Money,” And Accused Jackson Of Jumping Into The Gubernatorial Race Late Because He Did Not Want His Business Affiliations And Political Leanings To Be Disclosed. According to Burt Jones on WANF, “But so I knew there was somebody out there testing the waters. And, you know, this guy's slick. Slick Rick is what I call him. You know, he's come in and he's trying to portray something that he's not, and he's doing it with a lot of money. And I think the reason why he's jumped in so late is because he didn't want people to realize what his business affiliations are all about, as well as, you know, where his political alignings have been.” [Burt Jones Interview – WANF, 3/16/26] (VIDEO)
Jones Accused Rick Jackson Of “Lawfare” Instead Of Campaigning With Voters And Said “Slick Rick” Wanted “To Have This Thing Settled In The Courtrooms.” According to Burt Jones on WANF, “And now in this election, I've had all three of my Republican candidates have all sued me. You know, they sued me for raising money. They sued me for spending money. They'll probably have a lawsuit for me talking to you today. Here goes. So because it's been kind of ridiculous that they're trying to wage lawfare and instead of just running a campaign where you go out and and meet the people and tell them what you what you going to do, what you plan on doing, what you've done there, there, Rick, Rick Jackson, Slick Rick, as I like to call him, wants to wants to try to have this thing settled in the courtrooms, I guess.” [Burt Jones Interview – WANF, 3/16/26] (VIDEO) Time stamp: (00:03:36 -> 00:04:13)
¶ Jones Claimed Rick Jackson Was A “Never Trumper” Pretending To Be MAGA And Scrutinized Jackson’s Donations To Jeb Bush And Liz Cheney
Burt Jones Claimed All Of His Republican Opponents, Including Rick Jackson, Were “Never Trumpers” Who Were “Trying To Act” MAGA. According to Burt Jones on Just The News No Noise, “JONES: You know, I'm running against what I call Never Trumpers. These guys are all trying to act like, you know, their President Trump or President Trump like and I'm the only one who's actually endorsed by the president himself, only one who's running statewide in any statewide office here in Georgia that is endorsed by the president. And he knows I'm a fighter. He believes in me. He knows I'm an America first candidate. And we've been friends for a long time. And I just, I'm grateful to have his support.” [Burt Jones Interview – Just The News No Noise, 3/30/26] (VIDEO)
¶ Jones’ Campaign Claimed Jackson’s Donation To Trump Was A “Ploy To Inoculate Himself From Criticism That He'd Never Given Money To Trump”
Jones’ Campaign Claimed Jackson’s Donation To Trump Was A “Ploy To Inoculate Himself From Criticism That He'd Never Given Money To Trump” And Accused Jackson Of Being A “Never Trump” Who Bankrolled Candidates Who Ran Against Trump. According to Axios, “What they're saying: Some Republican operatives — and Jones' campaign — say they see Jackson's donation as merely a ploy to inoculate himself from criticism that he'd never given money to Trump. ‘Never Trumper Rick Jackson bankrolled candidates running against President Trump and the America First agenda. Now he's lying to voters to try and cover it up,’ Jones spokesperson Kayla Lott said. She said Jackson was trying to ‘buy his way out of his own record.’” [Axios, 3/17/26]
¶ Jones Scrutinized Rick Jackson’s Donations To Jeb Bush And Liz Cheney
Jones Criticized Jackson For Donating $1 Million To Jeb Bush In 2015 And Not Donating To Trump “Until Weeks Ago” After Jackson Said He Would Be Trump’s “Favorite Governor.” According to Jones’ Twitter, “Really? Let's check the tape. @JDVance: Endorsed by President Trump for Senate in 2022 President Trump’s Vice President Stood with President Trump through two impeachments, an indictment, and an assassination attempt Backing me — President Trump’s endorsed candidate for Governor @RickJacksonGA: Gave $1 million to Jeb Bush in 2015 Didn’t donate to President Trump until weeks ago Planned Parenthood Job Recruiter Running against President Trump’s endorsed candidate for Governor JD Vance didn’t just ‘come around.’ Rick Jackson wrote a check when he decided to run for Governor. Here’s what JD Vance actually thinks about this race: Quote Greg Bluestein @bluestein ‘I saw government in action in a way I hadn’t before. And then I started looking at the rest of my life.’ Why Rick Jackson says he’ll be Trump’s ‘favorite governor’”
[Twitter, @burtjonesforga, 2/18/26]
Jones Criticized Jackson For Donating “To Liz Cheney After She Joined Democrats To Impeach Trump” In 2024. According to Jones’ Twitter, “@RickJacksonGA says he'll be President Trump's ‘favorite,’ but not only did he back candidates running against Trump, he donated to Liz Cheney after she joined Democrats to impeach Trump. Slick Rick's past is catching up to him.”
[Twitter, @burtjonesforga, 3/12/26]
¶ Chris Carr Blasted Rick Jackson For “Trying To Buy The Race” And Scrutinized Self-Funders Running For Office In Georgia
¶ Chris Carr Accused Rick Jackson Of Being One Of The “Really Rich Guys Trying To Buy The Race” And Scrutinized Self-Funders Like Jackson
Chris Carr Claimed Rick Jackson Was One Of The “Really Rich Guys That Are Trying To Buy The Race” And Who Was In A “Food Fight” With Jones. According to Carr on 11 Alive (WXIA) The ATL, “I think what you've got is you've got three really rich guys that are trying to buy the race, two of which are just in a food fight right now, just just really hitting each other hard right now.” [Chris Carr Interview – 11 Alive (WXIA) The ATL, 3/20/26] (VIDEO)
Chris Carr On Rick Jackson: “Self-Funders Have A Terrible Win-Loss Record In The State Of Georgia.” According to NBC News, “‘We’ve had people that have had a lot of money. We’ve had people with a Trump endorsement — and they didn’t win,’ Carr said in an interview, referring to both Jackson and Jones in the current race. Carr said that ‘self-funders have a terrible win-loss record in the state of Georgia’ and that he remained optimistic about his chances of advancing to a runoff. He added that Jackson has ‘totally cut the legs out from Lt Gov. Jones in this race.’” [NBC News, 3/7/26]
Chris Carr On Rick Jackson: “I'll Tell You Who's Not Going To Win In November: It's The Person That Raises Their Hand And Says 'I Got The Most Money.’” According to AccessWDUN, “‘We need to have someone that knows the job and should be governor,’ Carr told AccessWDUN after the meeting. ‘This has to be about winning in November, and I'll tell you who's not going to win in November: It's the person that raises their hand and says 'I got the most money, and I have one endorsement.'‘ Carr was referring to healthcare executive and billionaire Rick Jackson and current Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, who are both running in the Republican Primary.” [AccessWDUN, 3/30/26]