Rick Jackson Upends Georgia Governor Race With 30-Second Ads

6 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 13

Rick Jackson, a 72-year-old billionaire health care executive who entered in February, has quickly become a credible contender to succeed term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp.
30-second spots on local newscasts, Atlanta Braves games and Hulu have driven that rise, letting Jackson define himself as a foster-care success story, outsider businessman and strong Trump ally.
That self-funded blitz disrupted a Republican field long led by three better-known statewide officials — Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr.
The race now tests whether a wealthy newcomer with no government experience can use massive ad spending to set the terms of a major governor's contest.

Can $83 million in ad spending turn a political unknown into a governor, and what does this mean for elections?

What does a billionaire's promise to 'run Georgia like a business' actually mean for its citizens' daily lives?

With his firm holding massive state contracts, how can a governor serve taxpayers over his own business interests?