Billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson filed a defamation lawsuit Monday against Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, escalating tensions in the Republican primary race for governor in 2026.

Jackson’s campaign confirmed that the complaint was filed in the Superior Court of Fulton County, accusing Jones, who has the endorsement of President Donald Trump, of making three separate defamatory statements about Jackson on social media during the past week.

“Burt Jones is learning real fast that the days of him doing and saying anything for his own benefit are coming to an end,” Jackson campaign spokesman Dave Abrams said in a statement. “Rick Jackson is holding self-serving politician Burt Jones accountable for his words and his actions.”

According to the complaint, Jackson argues that Jones resorted to personal attacks rather than defending his own record during the campaign.

“Rather than standing on his record, fighting like an honest man, and earning the trust and support of Georgians, Burt Jones is resorting to what he knows best: cheap and dirty politics,” the lawsuit states.

Jones’ campaign pushed back against the lawsuit, accusing Jackson of attempting to deflect attention from his own business activities.

“Rick Jackson’s thin skin is showing,” campaign spokesperson Kayla Lott said. “Why is Rick so embarrassed to have received a billion dollars in state contracts, helped Planned Parenthood recruit, and staff a pediatric doctor’s office that serves ‘transgender patients’? He should be proud that Georgia knows how his company made its money.”

In a March 5 post on X, Jones alleged that Jackson “made his fortune recruiting for Planned Parenthood, helping doctors perform transgender procedures on minors, and pocketed over $1 billion in state contracts on the backs of Georgia taxpayers,” adding that “Georgia’s not for sale.”

The legal dispute comes as both candidates ramp up spending ahead of the Republican primary. Since launching his campaign on Feb. 3, Jackson has spent nearly $16 million on advertisements, about six times the amount spent by Jones.

Recent polling has shown a competitive race. A JMC Analytics and Polling survey of likely Republican primary voters released Monday found Jackson leading with 37 percent support, while Jones received 22 percent. A February Quantus Insights poll also showed Jackson ahead, with 32.6 percent compared to Jones’ 16.9 percent.

Under Georgia law, if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the May 19 Republican primary, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff election scheduled for June 16.

The defamation suit marks the second legal clash between the campaigns this year. In February, Jackson and his campaign committee filed a separate lawsuit challenging a state campaign finance law they argue gives Jones an unfair advantage in the primary race.