Georgia’s $200 Million Summer: Inside the Most Expensive Double Runoff in American History

Two Republican runoffs. One date. Over $200 million in combined spending. And two Democrats — Ossoff and Bottoms — watching from the sidelines with full war chests and zero bruises.

Georgia is about to host the most expensive gubernatorial primary runoff in American history — and a Senate runoff on the same day — and the only people who benefit are the two Democrats who don’t have to spend a dime. On June 16, Republican voters will choose between Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (38.7% in the May 19 primary) and billionaire Rick Jackson (33.2%) for governor, while simultaneously picking between Rep. Mike Collins (41.2%) and Derek Dooley (28.6%) for the right to challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.

On the Democratic side, both nominees were settled on May 19. Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governor’s nomination outright at 57.5%, avoiding a runoff entirely. Ossoff faces no primary challenger and has been stockpiling cash since 2024 — his year-end cash on hand exceeded $25 million, one of the largest Senate war chests in the country.

The Governor’s Runoff: Jones vs. Jackson

The Republican governor’s primary was the most expensive in Georgia history and the third-most expensive gubernatorial primary ever nationally, according to AdImpact. Over $100 million in ad spending was burned through a field that included Jones, Jackson, AG Chris Carr, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — both of whom were eliminated on May 19.

Jones has Trump’s endorsement. Jackson has a personal fortune and Gov. Brian Kemp’s tacit support. Both will now spend four weeks tearing each other apart before facing Bottoms — who can spend those four weeks introducing herself to general election voters, registering new Democrats, and building a coalition without taking a single incoming attack.

The Jones campaign has already called for a televised debate before the runoff. Jackson’s camp hasn’t responded. Either way, the debate will produce clips that Democrats will weaponize in the fall.

The Senate Runoff: Collins vs. Dooley

The Senate runoff is equally favorable for Democrats. Collins — a firebrand congressman endorsed by the MAGA base — and Dooley — a former Tennessee football coach backed by the Kemp wing — represent the same fault line as Jones and Jackson. Trump conspicuously never endorsed in this race, and neither candidate has the fundraising infrastructure to compete with Ossoff’s $25 million warchest.

Cook has rated the Georgia Senate seat Lean D since April 13. Nothing about the runoff dynamics changes that calculus. If anything, a Collins nomination (the more MAGA of the two) could push it further toward Ossoff.

The Bottoms Factor

Keisha Lance Bottoms is not a typical gubernatorial nominee. She served as mayor of Atlanta during COVID and the 2020 racial justice protests, was on Biden’s VP shortlist, and served as a senior advisor in the Biden White House. She has national name recognition, deep ties to Atlanta’s Black political establishment, and the ability to drive turnout in Fulton, DeKalb, and Gwinnett counties — the engine of Democratic victories in Georgia.

Her 57.5% primary win — in a field of multiple candidates — demonstrates a consolidated base. She didn’t need a runoff. Her Republican opponent will emerge from one.

Why June 16 Matters

The double runoff creates a unique dynamic. Republican voters in Georgia will be asked to turn out twice in five weeks — once on May 19, once on June 16 — for intra-party fights. Each round produces losers whose supporters may not return in November. Each round depletes GOP fundraising and organizational resources. And each round generates opposition research that Democrats will file away for the fall.

This is the structural advantage of nominating your candidates early. Ossoff hasn’t had to attack anyone. Bottoms hasn’t had to defend herself. They have five and a half months to build general election campaigns while Republicans are still fighting over who gets to lose to them.

Georgia’s $200 million summer isn’t just expensive. It’s asymmetrically expensive — and every dollar of it benefits the side that isn’t spending.