CBS Atlanta: “Bare-Knuckle Political Fight” in Georgia’s “Neck-and-Neck” Republican Gov Primary Escalates

CBS Atlanta: "Bare-Knuckle Political Fight" in Georgia's "Neck-and-Neck" Republican Gov Primary Escalates

New reporting from CBS Atlanta looks at the "messiest GOP [primary] Georgia has seen in years" between Trump-endorsed Burt Jones and MAGA billionaire Rick Jackson. The latest developments in the "bare-knuckle political fight" and "escalating feud" between the two men include Jackson filing a defamation lawsuit against Jones - and Jones putting out a new ad suggesting Jackson should be in jail. With both candidates backing an agenda that cuts health care and raises costs, CBS Atlanta notes that the race "could be as much about political combat as policy."

Check out more from CBS Atlanta's reporting or read more below:

CBS Atlanta: Georgia GOP governor's race turns messy as Burt Jones and Rick Jackson clash over money, smears and campaign tactics

KEY EXCERPTS:

• Georgia's Republican primary for governor is quickly turning into a bare-knuckle political fight, with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and businessman Rick Jackson trading accusations over campaign finances, attack ads and what each side calls dishonest tactics.
• In just the past week, the escalating feud has produced two overlapping developments: a defamation lawsuit filed by Jackson against Jones and a new round of campaign attacks from the Jones camp targeting Jackson's business record and political credibility.
• The result is a race that, months before voters head to the polls, already looks like one of the messiest GOP primaries Georgia has seen in years.

• The clash is happening as the Republican primary field begins to shift. Jones entered the race with strong backing from Georgia Republicans and a major endorsement from former President Donald Trump. But Jackson - a political newcomer who pledged up to $50 million of his own money to the campaign - quickly reshaped the race after announcing his candidacy in February.
• Early polling cited in Jackson's complaint suggests the two candidates have at times been running neck-and-neck among Republican voters.

• That sudden competitiveness has intensified the tone of the campaign.

• For now, the Jones-Jackson rivalry is defining the early stage of the contest - and signaling that Georgia's next governor's race could be as much about political combat as policy.

Read the entire piece at CBS Atlanta.

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