ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — With Georgia’s Republican runoff for governor less than four weeks away and early voting set to begin June 8, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and health care CEO Rick Jackson spent the week sparring over when they will debate — and accusing each other of ducking the moment.

Jones said he accepted a June 1 debate with the Atlanta Press Club and argued Jackson was trying to push any head-to-head too close to the June 16 runoff.

“I’ve accepted a debate on June 1 with the Atlanta Press Club. He has not accepted that,” Jones said.

Jackson’s campaign said he had a conflict with that date and pointed to a different stage.

“We have accepted an invitation from Gray TV to do a debate on June 14, and we don’t know why ‘Mr. Anytime, Anywhere’ has declined,” the campaign said in a statement.

Jackson also told Atlanta News First he was open to debating, saying, “I’m willing to debate any time,” and adding, “I think they’re trying to work that out right now from a schedule standpoint.”

Jones argued that a mid-June debate would come too late for many voters once early voting is underway.

“Two thirds of the votes will already be in on June 14,” Jones said.

He also accused Jackson of avoiding an unscripted setting.

“He obviously doesn’t want to be on stage with me because he won’t have a teleprompter. He won’t have any note cards and won’t have his consultants to ask questions to,” Jones said.

The dispute has unfolded alongside increasingly personal attacks between the two candidates.

Jones said “it’s been lie after lie after lie,” as he accused Jackson of misleading voters and called him “a Hollywood production” who is “out there making false promises.”

Jackson, in turn, framed Jones as a career politician and cast himself as an outsider.

“My opponent basically represents the political class, and I represent the forgotten class,” Jackson said. He also said voters want action over rhetoric. “It’s just all talk. Well, people are tired of talk,” Jackson said.

Atlanta News First and Gray Media said they are prepared to host a debate if both campaigns agree to a date.

“Atlanta News First and Gray would look forward to hosting a debate between the two candidates on any mutually agreed-upon date,” said Erik Schrader, general manager of Atlanta News First.

With early voting starting June 8 and the runoff scheduled for June 16, the campaigns have a narrowing window to finalize a debate date before many Georgians begin casting ballots.

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