A Republican candidate for governor is suing Georgia’s sitting lieutenant governor, arguing a state campaign finance law gives the incumbent an unfair and unconstitutional advantage in the 2026 GOP primary.
According to a verified complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Richard L. Jackson and his campaign committee, Jackson for Governor, Inc., are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and others.
The lawsuit comes only two months after Georgia’s secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, filed a lawsuit against Georgia’s campaign-finance structure, arguing the current rules create an uneven playing field that benefits Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.
What the lawsuit argues
At the center of the lawsuit – Jackson et al v. Jones et al – is Georgia’s 2021 law, codified as the “leadership committee” statute.
In court filings, Jackson argues the law allows Jones — as the incumbent lieutenant governor — to chair a leadership committee that can raise and spend unlimited contributions to benefit his gubernatorial campaign. Meanwhile, Jackson says he remains bound by traditional contribution caps during the primary.
In a motion for a preliminary injunction filed Wednesday, Jackson’s attorneys asked the court to:
- Block enforcement of the statute as applied in this race
- Stop Jones’ WBJ Leadership Committee from raising and spending funds
- Prevent Jones’ gubernatorial campaign from receiving contributions from the leadership committee
Jackson’s complaint states that Georgia law generally limits statewide candidates to accepting $8,400 per donor for a primary election and $4,800 for a runoff. However, the leadership committee structure exempts Jones from those limits, creating what the lawsuit calls a “de facto second, super-duper campaign committee.”
Jackson declared his candidacy on Feb. 3, 2026, according to the filing.
Who is named in the suit
The lawsuit names multiple defendants, including:
Jackson argues the unequal fundraising structure violates his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and places him at a significant electoral disadvantage during the May 19, 2026 Republican primary.
What happens next
The filing requests expedited proceedings, arguing the alleged constitutional harm is ongoing as fundraising and campaign spending continue during the primary season.
A notice filed by the Clerk of Court on Feb. 11 indicates counsel for the plaintiffs must complete required admission procedures within 10 days.
In a statement to CBS News Atlanta, a spokesperson for Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ campaign dismissed the lawsuit.
“This silly lawsuit has been unsuccessfully attempted twice already by the other never-Trump candidates in this race and will fail a third time,” the spokesperson said. “Not remotely surprising that the grifter crew surrounding Rick Jackson convinced him to waste more of his money.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, no response from Jones’ campaign has been filed in the case.