LISTEN: GPB's Sarah Kallis reports from Butts County, where Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones kicked off his 2026 run for governor.

Georgia Lt. Gov. candidate Burt Jones participates in a Republican primary debate, May 3, 2022, in Atlanta. A Georgia state agency said Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023, that it will name a special prosecutor to consider whether Jones, the state's Republican lieutenant governor, should face criminal charges after former president Donald Trump and 18 of his allies were indicted Monday, Aug. 14, for working to overturn the state’s 2020 election results.

Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones participates in a Republican primary debate on May 3, 2022. He kicked off his 2026 campaign for governor at an event in Butts County on Aug. 26, 2025.

Credit: AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool, File

BUTTS COUNTY, Ga. — Lt. Gov. Burt Jones kicked off his campaign for governor in Butts County, Ga., on Tuesday evening. 

Jones addressed a cheering crowd of hundreds in front of an American flag at his first rally. He called himself a "common-sense candidate" and did not shy away from past legal challenges surrounding his support for President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

“At some point in time, I’ve taken on Democrats, I’ve taken on the Republican establishment, and I’ve taken on rogue DAs that try to incriminate you," Jones said. "And I’m still standing here, ladies and gentlemen.”

Jones was investigated for his role in the alleged fake elector scheme tied to the 2020 election but was ultimately not charged.

Tags: Georgia  Butts County  Georgia Politics  Burt Jones  Election 2026  Governor's Race