By John A. Tures, Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College
Before Businessman Rick Jackson, the 2026 GOP Gubernatorial nominee, took the stage in Columbus Georgia’s Bibb Mill, I told a student that I brought that the election will be won by the candidate who reaches out the moderates, and eschews the “turnout only” hard partisan campaign so popular nowadays. Jackson took a major step in that direction, as there was barely a mention of Donald Trump or the culture wars.
“It’s a speech Andy Beshear could have made in Kentucky,” I remarked to a state legislator after Jackson was done speaking, referring to the moderate Democrat from a deep red state. “You’re not wrong,” he replied with a smile. Because that’s what Jackson needs to do to win in 2026.
Jackson emphasized three policy areas: taxes, education and public safety. On taxes, he was the most Republican, vowing to cut income taxes and property taxes, though specifics on how the state would handle a primarily local assessment needed details.
On education, he was the most Democratic. Noting how Mississippi beat Georgia in football and literacy (“And that’s just not acceptable!” he added), he documented how teachers would get more pay and resources they needed. I recommend additional help in the form of keeping teachers and their resources from being overregulated by local political associations eager to ensure that they control the curriculum. Jackson also added that Georgia needed to value all paths for higher education and wisely went beyond the political class talking points about college, which should keep Georgia’s colleges, one of the best areas in the world, intact.
On public safety, he echoed the plan for law enforcement officers to get the training and resources they needed, much like the teachers.
When attacking his opponent, Jackson reiterated charges against Keisha Lance Bottoms and uses or misuses of taxpayer funds. When I brought this up to a conservative at our Bible Study the next day, he actually defended the Democratic Party nominee and gave a fuller picture of the case, so the narrative may need to change. More effective were Jackson’s inspirational quotes and personal story of rising up to success, not just his housing situation, but his family status as a child.
One of my bright students, a conservative, who studies polls and trends even more than I do, noted that Georgia Senator Jon Ossof was starting to pull away even more clearly from Rep. Michael Collins, enough that it could be a problem for Rick Jackson, already dealing with President Donald Trump and his ever-dwindling poll numbers, reaching dangerously low numbers for the Grand Old Party.
But there is good news for Jackson. After a bitter, bruising primary and a major gaffe on affordability, his campaign appearance in Columbus was a “right time, right place” event that not only motivated the base, but reached out effectively to independents and even a few Democrats.
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is benefitting from the anti-Trump mood and Ossoff’s strong performance. The tendency is to play it safe, remain in Atlanta and the suburbs, and maybe venture out to Savannah. Bottoms will be at the Columbus Chamber for a meet-and-greet on August 27, from 1130am to 12pm. She’ll need to match Jackson’s move to the middle to prevail, however.
John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. His views are his own. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu or on “X” at @johntures2. His first book “Branded” a thriller novel where corporate greed, media manipulation and academic intrigue collide in a deadly game of product placement, has been published by the Huntsville Independent Press (https://www.huntsvilleindependent.com/product-page/branded). His second novel, “Independent Thought,” about a third-party candidacy that brings America to its knees, is coming out later this summer with HIP (https://www.huntsvilleindependent.com/).