Inside the GA Runoffs: Trump, Kemp, and the Fight for the Governor's Mansion | Politically Georgia

Georgia's Republican governor's race is getting complicated — and Brian Kemp is right in the middle of it without technically taking a side. A new Rick Jackson ad is using Kemp's own words to imply a soft endorsement, even as Kemp publicly backs neither Jackson nor Lt. Gov. Bert Jones ahead of next Tuesday's runoff. Meanwhile, Jones holds Trump's official endorsement, Jackson claims he'd be Trump's "favorite governor in the whole country," and both candidates are fighting over Kemp's shadow. On the Democratic side, Greg and Tia break down the Ossoff-Bottoms unity ticket — how early coordination compares to Georgia's past, what the power of the Black women's vote actually looks like in the data, and how Georgia's controversial leadership committee law is already reshaping the fundraising race. With the special session looming and runoffs days away, this episode is essential context for anyone watching Georgia politics in real time. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why Rick Jackson's new ad is technically accurate but strategically misleading about Kemp's preferences • How Georgia Republicans have abandoned the general-election pivot — and why that's a risky bet in 2026 • What the data actually says about Black women's turnout for Stacey Abrams — and what it means for Keisha Lance Bottoms • How Georgia's leadership committee law creates a fundraising two-tiered system — and why even some Republicans privately wish it had never passed CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Introduction: Final Stretch Before the Runoffs 01:08 – Rick Jackson Ad Controversy: Is Kemp Secretly Picking a Side? 03:16 – Bert Jones vs. Rick Jackson: Competing for Trump and Kemp 04:45 – Why Every Georgia Republican Is Running as a MAGA Candidate 07:43 – Can Republicans Win Without Pivoting to the Middle? 09:24 – Derek Dooley: Is Riding Coattails a Strategy or a Liability? 12:41 – Ossoff's Sharpest Attack Line Against Dooley and Collins 14:34 – Does Skipping Debates Actually Hurt Candidates Anymore? 16:44 – The Ossoff-Bottoms Unity Ticket: Risky or Smart This Early? 18:25 – Black Women's Vote: What the Data Says About Abrams and Bottoms 24:47 – Georgia's Leadership Committees: Unlimited Money, Unequal Access 27:00 – Why Even Republicans Privately Regret This Fundraising Law Subscribe to Politically Georgia: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@PoliticallyGeorgia⁩ Visit our website for more: https://www.ajc.com/politics/politica... #politics #podcast #Georgia #news #AJC