ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — Georgia voters head to the polls Tuesday to choose the Republican nominee for governor. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones faces health care executive Rick Jackson in a runoff reshaped by a late endorsement from Gov. Brian Kemp.

Kemp threw his support behind Jones on Sunday, telling voters he is a reliable candidate who helped champion the governor’s policies during his time in office.

“And when you really think about what we’ve been able to do over the last eight years whether it’s cutting taxes, economic development projects, school choice, you know, so many different things that we’ve been able to do returning 12 billion dollars to the taxpayers. Burt Jones has been a trusted ally in that effort being there,” Kemp said.

Jackson has run ads featuring Kemp praising his character. Jones says the spots are meant to imply Kemp endorsed Jackson. Jones has criticized those ads and Jackson’s spending in the runoff.

“This guy spent 130 million dollars, which is a ridiculous amount of money. I tell people all the time that, you know, if he’s this cavalier with his money, imagine what he would do with the taxpayers’ money,” Jones said.

Jackson pushed back on that criticism during a campaign stop in Augusta on Monday, defending the way his campaign has operated.

“I’m not doing it for myself. I don’t need this job. I don’t need the money. I can’t make money off it. In fact, it’s probably going to cost me a lot of money. But from that standpoint, I am spending money in order to make a change and to help people that do not have a voice,” Jackson said.

Candidates make final pitch to voters

With polls opening Tuesday morning, both candidates say they are the best choice to keep the governor’s office in Republican hands and defeat Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in November. Jones says his record as lieutenant governor and partnership with the Kemp administration make him the right candidate for the job. Some polling before Kemp’s endorsement showed Jackson with an edge. Now, with Kemp and President Trump backing Jones, the race could look different.

“We had early voting that wasn’t, you know, what we wanted it to be. But we got one more day to make up those numbers. And if the people of Georgia want a proven, conservative, business-minded person who knows what the job entails on day one, I’m thinking I’m the only choice when it comes to tomorrow,” Jones said.

Jackson says voters are looking for a different approach, someone with a different background.

“People are struggling from day to day from affordability. I know how to reduce the healthcare costs, which is a affordability issue. I’m going to reduce taxes and property taxes, which is affordability. And there’s nobody in the history of Georgia that will create more jobs and more opportunity for the state of Georgia than I will,” Jackson said.

Polls open across Georgia Tuesday morning. By the end of the night, Republicans should know who their nominee for governor will be. The winner of the runoff will move on to face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in

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