Republican gubernatorial hopeful says Kemp will deploy National Guard for 2026 Georgia elections

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson addressed a supporter’s worries about potential Democratic election fraud at a rally in Columbus, Georgia, saying Governor Brian Kemp will call in the National Guard to watch over the 2026 midterm elections. Jackson reiterated the plan when the supporter asked for confirmation. A campaign spokesperson later emphasized that Jackson did not propose deploying troops at polling sites and highlighted Georgia’s reputation for secure voting under Kemp.

The campaign also noted the Guard’s cyber teams have previously assisted election security in both parties’ administrations. Kemp’s office responded that the state will continue its established approach to making voting accessible and preventing cheating. Jackson, who now has Kemp’s backing, faces Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in a contest currently rated a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.