ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Political newcomer Rick Jackson has opened a sizeable lead over the man who may have been the prohibitive favorite to become Georgia’s 84th chief executive only a few weeks ago.

On Thursday, Quantus Insights released a poll showing Jackson with a 33% lead over Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the state’s wide-open governor’s race this fall.

But the poll — conducted Feb. 17-18 among 1,337 likely voters and with a 3% margin of error — shows 37% of respondents, or 4 in 10, are still shopping.

“In practical terms, [Jackson] begins the campaign already within five points of the undecided vote and roughly two-to-one over Jones, the next closest contender at 16%,” the polling firm said in its analysis.

“That doesn’t guarantee durability,” it continued. “Early leads can be a function of novelty, name recognition, or a temporary ‘first look’ bump. But it does establish Jackson as a top-tier contender immediately, and it ensures that the race will now be defined in part by whether Jones and the rest of the field can consolidate the large undecided pool.”

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (8%), Attorney General Chris Carr (5%) and Clark Dean (0.3%) round out the field.

In Georgia’s nationally watched U.S. Senate GOP primary, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins has a 36% lead, but almost 45% of likely voters are undecided.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter came in second at 11%, and Gov. Brian Kemp’s endorsed candidate, Derek Dooley, placed with 9%.

“Since October, Collins has consolidated support and widened his lead, while Carter and Dooley have slipped,” the firm said. “Although a meaningful share of voters remain undecided, Collins enters the next phase of the primary as the clear frontrunner with measurable momentum.”

Another wide-open statewide race is for lieutenant governor, and 79% of GOP voters are undecided in a field that features former state Sen. John Kennedy (6%) and current state senators Greg Dolezal (5.2%), Blake Tillery (4%) and Steve Gooch (2.7%) among the candidates.

“In the lieutenant governor’s race, voters have barely begun paying attention,” the firm said.

Quantus Insights has conducted polling on recent elections, including the 2025 Virginia gubernatorial race and New Jersey gubernatorial race. Its polls have been included in major polling aggregates.

Atlanta News First and Atlanta News First+ provide you with the latest news, headlines and insights as Georgia continues its role at the forefront of the nation’s political scene. Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest political news and information.

Atlanta News First podcasts are available now on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | YouTube

Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.