Chaos has erupted in Georgia’s Republican primaries just days before voters head to the polls in both the Senate and gubernatorial primary runoff elections.
Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp made a surprise announcement Monday just one day before the GOP gubernatorial runoff by weighing in on the race to succeed him after largely remaining on the sidelines throughout the campaign. His decision to endorse Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones came the day after President Donald Trump backed Republican Georgia Rep. Mike Collins in the GOP primary for Senate, who is competing with a candidate backed by the governor.
Gov. Brian Kemp this morning at Tommy’s Barber Shop in Atlanta- “Marty and the girls and I will be voting for Burt Jones tomorrow to keep our state moving forward. pic.twitter.com/3gfb8J7uVr
— Patricia Murphy (@MurphyAJC) June 15, 2026
In a last-minute move, Kemp launched his endorsement by praising Jones in a post on X as a “strong, trusted ally” who worked with his administration to return more than $9 billion to taxpayers. The governor also said Jones worked to boost pay and retirement benefits for law enforcement and help pass what he described as the state’s first meaningful tort reform legislation in two decades. (RELATED: Trump Faces His Next Midterm Powder Keg In Georgia)
Kemp said Jones has proven he knows how to “get things done” through his time in the state Senate and as lieutenant governor, adding that after working alongside him for nearly 15 years, he is confident Jones will continue to put “hardworking Georgians first” as governor.
“I believe Burt Jones will make a strong case to the voters for four more years of conservative leadership that ensures our state’s best days are ahead, while Democrats try to run from Keisha Lance Bottoms’ record of complete failure as mayor of Atlanta,” Kemp said. “Marty, the girls, and I are proud to endorse Burt Jones to be the 84th Governor of the great state of Georgia and ask you to join us in supporting him on Tuesday.”
Over the last eight years, we’ve achieved historic wins for hardworking Georgians from all walks of life and made our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
We’ve passed the largest tax cut in state history, announced the largest economic development projects…
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) June 14, 2026
Jones’ runoff opponent, businessman Rick Jackson, responded to Kemp’s endorsement by leaning into his outsider image and contrasting himself with Georgia’s political establishment. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Governor Hopeful Tied To Syrian Refugee Resettlement Group)
In a post on X, Jackson said he has “always been the outsider in this race.” He added that he is “not beholden to anyone” and pledged to fight for Georgians who “don’t have a lobbyist and aren’t served by the special interests.”
Paulding County Republican Party Chairman Ricky Hess compared the timing of the recent endorsements to the Daily Caller to an after-hours market announcement, saying, “It’s like the stock market. They drop a bomb after hours.”
Hess highlighting how quickly the developments unfolded over the weekend, with early voting already over and Election Day looming.
Kemp’s endorsement came the day after Trump inserted himself into Georgia’s other high-profile Republican runoff, issuing a dawn endorsement of Collins over former college football coach and Kemp-backed candidate Derek Dooley in the GOP Senate primary.(RELATED: Trump Makes Eleventh-Hour Endorsement Of Rep Mike Collins In Crucial GOP Runoff For Senate)
Speaking at a press conference Monday, Dooley was asked about Trump’s decision to back Collins ahead of Tuesday’s runoff election, according to reporter Greg Bluestein of The Atlantic Journal-Constitution.
“My position has not changed since the day I got into this race,” Dooley said. “I said I’d be honored to have everybody’s endorsement, but the most important endorsement I’ve been working toward every single day is that of the people of Georgia, because that’s what matters most. And that’s what I’m going to continue to focus on for these next 24 hours.”
Trump announced his support for Collins in a Truth Social post Sunday, writing, “It is my Great Honor to endorse ‘MAGA’ Mike Collins, a Highly Respected Congressman who has been with me from the very beginning.”
The president also took aim at Dooley, arguing that the former football coach lacks deep roots with Georgia voters.
“But first things first! Mike has to beat a Republican Opponent before he gets to Ossoff. I don’t know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person,” Trump wrote. “Unfortunately, he has lived outside of Georgia for most of his life, didn’t vote in 2020 or 2016, and said that I lost Georgia in 2020 when, in actuality, the facts have now proven that I won by a lot!”
Less than 24 hours before polls open, Kemp publicly reaffirmed his support for Dooley, posting a photo with the Senate candidate on X and urging Georgia Republicans to “vote for Derek” on Tuesday. (RELATED:EXCLUSIVE: Georgia Rep. Mike Collins Busted Padding Website With Fake Endorsements)
Asked about Trump’s endorsement, Kemp told Bluestein he had previously made the case to the president that Dooley was the strongest candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.
“Well, look, I was very clear with the President that I thought we needed a political outsider in this race, the best political outsider was Derek Dooley to beat Jon Ossoff,” Kemp said. “Obviously he disagreed, and the voters are going to weigh in tomorrow to settle that score.”