Rick Jackson (Georgia businessman)

Rick Jackson grew up in Atlanta, spending part of his childhood in poverty in the Techwood Homes public housing community; he lived in five foster homes and attended 13 schools.⁠[1][2]

He attended David Lipscomb College (now Lipscomb University) in Nashville but left because he could not afford to continue; he later took a small-business course at Georgia State University, where he developed a mentoring relationship with the instructor.⁠[1]

Jackson’s business career began in staffing. In 1976 he bought the secretarial staffing company where he worked, and he later moved into executive recruiting and health care staffing.⁠[1]

Over four decades he has owned or operated staffing companies, surgery centers, practice management companies, clinics and hospitals, and helped conceive and develop more than 25 health care companies.⁠[3]

In 2000 Jackson launched Jackson Healthcare, of which he is founder, chairman and chief executive officer. The company comprises 19 health care staffing, search and technology companies, passed $2 billion in annual revenue in 2022, and is one of the largest health care staffing firms in the United States.⁠[3]

Jackson Healthcare is based in Alpharetta, Georgia, operates in all 50 states, serves more than 20 million patients a year and has revenue of more than $3 billion.⁠[2][1]

In early February 2026 Jackson announced a run for governor of Georgia as a self-described conservative outsider, pledging $50 million of his own money, including a $40 million advertising buy that began airing on February 4. The campaign event was held at his company in Alpharetta.⁠[4][2]

In the May Republican primary Jackson and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones advanced to a runoff; Attorney General Chris Carr finished fourth and endorsed Jackson. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz also endorsed Jackson.⁠[2]

On June 16, 2026, Jackson defeated Burt Jones, who had been backed by President Donald Trump, in the Republican runoff to win the nomination for governor. Jackson spent more than $100 million of his own money during the Republican primary.⁠[2][5][1]

At 9:24 p.m. ET on November 3, 2026, the Associated Press called Georgia’s governor’s race for Keisha Lance Bottoms over Republican Rick Jackson, to succeed term-limited Governor Brian Kemp. Libertarian Chase Oliver, the party’s 2024 presidential nominee, was also on the ballot.⁠[6][7]

Jackson proposed cutting the state income tax in half within four years and working toward eliminating it within eight; he also proposed freezing increases in home valuations, ending state taxes on residential electricity and natural gas, and ending state income tax on tips.⁠[1]

On health care he said he would lower private insurance costs and negotiate drug prices at the state level; at an October 6, 2026, debate he said he supported Medicaid expansion if it would not jeopardize $4.5 billion in federal funding. He has said he supports Georgia’s existing abortion law, including its exceptions, and has called for closer cooperation with the federal government on immigration enforcement.⁠[1]

Jackson is a former foster child. He is co-founder and chairman of FaithBridge Foster Care and founding chairman of goBeyondProfit, a business leader-to-leader initiative.⁠[3]

Through the nonprofit venture Giving Films, whose profits support charities, he has produced faith-based films; he also backed a 2022 Georgia law providing tax credits for donations that support young people leaving foster care.⁠[1]

Jackson is married to Melody Moore Jackson, a Georgia Tech professor, and has three adult children.⁠[1]

Jackson Healthcare: Official website: https://www.jacksonhealthcare.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[3]