\u201cRather than standing on his record, fighting like an honest man, and earning the trust and support of Georgians, Burt Jones is resorting to what he knows best: cheap and dirty politics,\u201d the complaint states.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Jones\u2019 campaign dismissed the lawsuit and defended the remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cRick Jackson\u2019s thin skin is showing,\u201d Kayla Lott, a spokesperson for Jones\u2019 campaign, told the DCNF in a statement Monday. \u201cWhy is Rick so embarrassed to have received a billion dollars in state contracts, helped Planned Parenthood recruit, and staff a pediatric doctor\u2019s office that serves \u2018transgender patients.\u2019 He should be proud Georgia knows how his company made its money.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The dispute centers on a March 5 post by Jones on X, where he claimed Jackson \u201cmade 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,\u201d adding \u201cGeorgia\u2019s not for sale.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lawsuit escalates an already contentious Republican primary race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After launching his campaign relatively late on Feb. 3, Jackson has spent nearly $16 million on advertising\u2014almost six times the amount spent by Jones\u2014according to NBC News, citing data from AdImpact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recent polling suggests Jackson currently leads the GOP field. A JMC Analytics and Polling survey of likely Republican primary voters released Monday found 37% support Jackson, while 22% backed Jones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Quantus Insights poll conducted in February found Jackson leading with 32.6% support among likely GOP primary voters, compared to 16.9% for Jones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, an Emerson College poll released March 5 showed a tighter race. The survey found 21% of voters supporting Jones and 20% backing Jackson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The poll also found Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger\u2014known for clashing with Trump over the 2020 presidential election\u2014receiving 11% support, followed by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr at 6%, while 38% of respondents remained undecided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among voters who said President Donald Trump\u2019s endorsement makes them more likely to support a candidate, Jones led with 31% support compared to Jackson\u2019s 21%, according to the Emerson poll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under Georgia law, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the May 19 Republican primary, the top two finishers will advance to a runoff election scheduled for June 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The defamation lawsuit marks the second legal clash between the candidates this year. In February, Jackson and his campaign committee filed a separate lawsuit against Jones challenging a state campaign finance law that Jackson argued gives Jones an unfair advantage in the primary, CBS News reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n