Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson announced Thursday that he will cancel all ongoing state contracts held by his healthcare staffing business by December 31 if he wins the upcoming election. Speaking at Tommy’s Barbershop in Atlanta alongside a group of supporters, Jackson addressed mounting political pressure regarding his company’s continued financial ties to the state while he campaigns for high office.
The pledge arrives amidst a tight 2026 Georgia gubernatorial race against Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms. Recent polling shows Bottoms leading Jackson 46.4% to 44.9%, with economic affordability dominating voter concerns across the state, according to Capitol Beat News Service reporting by Ty Tagami via The Augusta Chronicle.
The controversy surrounding Jackson’s business dealings intensified earlier in the week when a local report revealed that a subsidiary of Jackson Healthcare had secured a renewed multimillion-dollar contract to supply health services to a state agency. According to 11Alive coverage cited by Capitol Beat, the newly extended agreement is scheduled to run through next summer, placing its expiration roughly six months into the term of Georgia’s next governor.
The revelation drew swift criticism from his political opponent. “Rick Jackson promised to unwind his state contracts at the same time he was cutting a secret new deal to make millions of dollars off of taxpayers into 2027,” the Bottoms campaign said in a public statement.”
Addressing Potential Conflicts and Taxpayer Profits
During his Thursday appearance, Jackson defended the legality of his corporate holdings, maintaining that state law places no restrictions on holding government contracts provided the business owner does not personally work within the agency. Nonetheless, he acknowledged the political and ethical friction caused by the arrangement.
To avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, Jackson committed to terminating the healthcare agreements by the end of December should voters elect him to the state’s highest office. The Alpharetta-based staffing and workforce enterprise he founded has generated substantial financial success, enabling Jackson to inject more than $100 million of his personal wealth directly into his campaign.
At the same Atlanta event, Jackson rolled out several components of his broader affordability platform. Standing in front of a sign bearing the slogan “Earn More. Pay Less,” he detailed proposals aimed at lowering the cost of living for Georgia residents.
His economic proposals include eliminating state levies on residential electricity and natural gas. He also outlined plans to gradually reduce the state income tax by half, remove state income taxes on tips—expanding upon a limited exemption passed earlier this year by the General Assembly—and join a federal tax credit program supporting donations for private school scholarships, following a model established by current Gov. Brian Kemp.
Budget Cuts and Affordability Proposals
Jackson additionally proposed temporary relief during supply disruptions, stating that sudden spikes in gasoline costs driven by international conflicts or natural disasters should trigger a suspension of the state motor fuel tax for a minimum of 60 days. “Government should not collect a windfall when families are being hit [by an] emergency,” Jackson stated from the lectern.”
To curb property tax burdens, Jackson pledged to freeze rising home valuations, acknowledging that local governments and school districts oversee property taxes rather than state agencies. He also asserted his capability to slash billions from the state budget. “There’s not a business in the world that I can’t cut 10% out of,” Jackson remarked, pointing to agency software modernization and economic expansion as pathways to balance fiscal reductions.”
As the campaign moves toward the general election, voters will closely monitor how both candidates address state spending, government transparency, and economic affordability. Share your thoughts on these developments in the comments below.
