Republican Rick Jackson makes first general election campaign stop in Doraville
Doraville voters meet Jackson at local eatery
Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson visited a Doraville Mexican restaurant to outline his platform focused on freezing property taxes and enforcing immigration laws, according to campaign reports.
DORAVILLE, Ga. - Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson made his first official campaign appearance since winning the Georgia primary runoff Friday.
What we know:
Jackson was joined by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King at Monterrey Mexican Restaurant in Doraville, where he met with customers and employees to lay out his platform ahead of the November matchup against Democratic nominee and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Speaking to supporters and patrons, Jackson emphasized that he wasted no time shifting his strategy to the high-stakes November race.
"Ten days ago, we won the runoff, but, and I took six hours to feel good about that and started focusing on the general,"
Jackson said. "I equate it to winning the SEC championship. And now we got to go on to the national championship. And I look forward to representing 11 million Georgians."
Jackson framed the election as a clear choice between continuing a conservative gubernatorial legacy or transitioning to his opponent's record.
Addressing Affordability, Healthcare, and Education
What they're saying:
Running as a businessperson rather than a career politician, Jackson focused heavily on economic solutions, drawing from his personal upbringing to connect with voters struggling with rising costs.
"You know, affordability is a word that we are all concerned about," Jackson said. "It's not a bumper sticker to me. I actually have solutions to it. When I talk about affordability, I'm going to talk about solutions."
As part of his affordability plan, Jackson promised immediate relief for homeowners. "As governor, I'm going to focus on lowering taxes because that's to the affordability issue as well. And I'm going to freeze and reduce property taxes. I don't want to see another widow come up to me crying about; she's going to have to sell her house because of property taxes and that that's sinful as far as I'm concerned, and unacceptable."
Jackson also pointed to his background in the medical field as the key to lowering healthcare costs across the state.
"Because I'm in health care, I know how health care works. I know the whole system," Jackson said, gesturing to Insurance Commissioner King. "This man right here knows that. I know that, and he's going to be, my right arm in order to help solve that from the standpoint. You know, we have we need new technology. We have too many, middlemen in the in the group and unnecessary cost, that, that we need to eliminate."
On education, Jackson praised recent legislative efforts but noted that improving literacy remains a top personal priority. "I'm so proud of the house and Governor Kemp passing the literacy bill this week," Jackson said. "I'm going to be the person that leads to represent the two thirds of the children that cannot, read, because they need an advocate."
Standing by Campaign Messaging and Venue Choice
Dig deeper:
The campaign stop at a local Mexican restaurant drew questions from reporters regarding a campaign ad in which Jackson spelled out his tough stance on illegal immigration, specifically using the phrase "deported or departed."
Jackson explained his personal connection to the area and re-centered his message on public safety and the rule of law.
"My focus has been criminal illegals, period. But I look through every issue of is it against the law or not? I don't ever want to have another Laken Riley. And we need to get rid of that from that standpoint. So that's what I'm for."
Looking Ahead to November
What's next:
As the race shifts toward a broader audience, Jackson rejected the idea that his business-first approach would cause division, stating he plans to run a campaign centered on getting results for all Georgians, regardless of party affiliation.
Jackson also confirmed that he is ready to face Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms on the debate stage.
"I'll debate her at any point in time," Jackson said. "My team will get with her, and we'll schedule something for them to do this."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson, who explained his platform during a campaign stop in Doraville, as well as state officials who accompanied him.