Former Gov. Sonny Perdue throws political weight behind Jackson campaign
PERRY — Just over 60 days before the November election, former Gov. Sonny Perdue urged a crowd of Republican voters to tap into their personal networks to help propel GOP gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson to victory.
“Each of you has friends — you’ve got a sphere of influence,” he said Friday. “You go to church with, people you work with, your family, your friends. You know the most important advertisement that they can get? You saying, ‘I believe in Rick Jackson.’”
The former governor and current University System of Georgia chancellor took the stage at The Muse Theatre in Perry to rally support for Jackson, who is counting on strong turnout in rural Georgia to help him defeat his Democratic opponent, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Jackson was largely unknown to Georgia voters until seven months ago when the billionaire healthcare executive upended the governor’s race with a surprise campaign and ultimately defeated Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Republican primary runoff.
He’s since stuck to his political outsider messaging, even as some of the state’s most prominent Republicans have rallied behind him. Gov. Brian Kemp and Perdue are among those who have campaigned with Jackson since his primary victory.
“It’s about the people, not the political power establishment,” Perdue said. “Rick Jackson is not running for governor because he wants to be governor.”
Ethics and public trust have emerged as top issues in the race in the final sprint to Election Day, with both candidates fending on fierce attacks against their own records.
“The issue in this race is not personality, it’s a public trust,” Jackson said.
A former youth football coach, Jackson added, “My opponent has a record, and as the old football coach in me will tell you, you are who your record says you are.”
Earlier this week, during a stop at a grocery store in Lawrenceville to announce a new proposal to help cut costs at the grocery store, Bottoms pushed back against how Jackson is described by his campaign.
“This is a man who’s running as an outsider, but he is the ultimate insider,” she said.
