WOODSTOCK, Ga. — Rick Jackson lacks Donald Trump’s endorsement. But as a wealthy businessman who’s never previously held elected office, he has leaned heavily into a message comparing himself to the president in his campaign for Georgia governor.
It has helped win over voters like Monica Robinson, who cast her ballot for Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the initial Republican primary four weeks ago mostly “because he’d been endorsed by” Trump.
“It was one of the big reasons why we voted for him,” said Robinson, a 64-year-old landlord.
But after seeing Jackson speak for a half hour at a campaign event Thursday night in this small city northwest of Atlanta, Robinson decided she would switch her vote in Tuesday’s runoff election and pick the billionaire healthcare executive.
Robinson, a three-time Trump voter, said she found Jackson “had a lot in common” with the president but showed a more “gentle” touch during his speech.
