Rick Jackson, a billionaire health care executive, sued his Republican primary rival Burt Jones for defamation after a series of social media attacks this week. The complaint, filed in Fulton County, centers on three posts Jackson says crossed the line from criticism into falsehood. The case lands in the middle of a heated Georgia GOP primary where President Trump’s endorsement of Jones looms large.
Jackson’s campaign says the lawsuit targets deliberate smears meant to blunt his surge in the race and his heavy ad spending. The complaint argues Jones chose cheap political attacks instead of debating policy and record. It was filed this morning and aims to force answers from the lieutenant governor.
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Jackson’s camp didn’t mince words. “Burt Jones is learning real fast that the days of him doing and saying anything for his own benefit are coming to an end,” Jackson campaign spokesman Dave Abrams said. “Rick Jackson is holding self-serving politician Burt Jones accountable for his words and his actions.”
Kayla Lott, a spokesperson for Jones’ campaign, in a Monday X post in response to the lawsuit that Jackson’s “thin skin is showing.” The Jones team framed the suit as an attempt by a wealthy outsider to silence criticism. They leaned on a tough political line and the president’s backing to push back hard.
In the same post Lott went further in tone and in content. “Why is Rick so embarrassed to have received a billion dollars in state contracts, helped Planned Parenthood recruit, and staff a pediatric doctor’s office that serves ‘transgender patients.’ He should be proud Georgia knows how his company made its money,” Lott added. The language landed as a direct counterpunch to Jackson’s legal move.
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Jones himself used social media to level sharp accusations against Jackson and to underline the stakes for conservative voters. Jones claimed in a March 5 X that Jackson “made his fortune recruiting for Planned Parenthood, helping doctors perform transgender procedures on minors, and pocketed over $1 billion in state contracts on the backs of Georgia taxpayers,” adding “Georgia’s not for sale.” Those comments are central to the defamation complaint.
Jackson has spent aggressively since launching his campaign in February, pouring nearly $16 million into ads and quickly becoming the dominant spender in the race. Polls show him leading or competitive depending on the sample, with one survey putting him around the high 30s and another showing him near the low 30s. Other polls show a tighter contest, illustrating how fast voters are sorting through competing narratives.
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Legal fights over campaign rules and accusations about state contracts have already been a feature of this primary season. In February Jackson filed a separate legal challenge over a state campaign finance law he said gave Jones an unfair advantage. Public records also show Jackson’s companies have received substantial payments from state agencies since fiscal year 2020, a fact his opponents have seized on.
The calendar matters: Georgia’s primary law sends the top two finishers to a runoff if nobody clears 50 percent on May 19, with a June 16 runoff scheduled if needed. Trump’s endorsement of Jones appears to move a slice of the electorate, and one poll found that the president’s nod made a sizable difference for a subset of voters. Expect litigation, ads, and tough messaging to keep defining this GOP contest through the spring.
