Burt Jones

Burt Jones
Jones in 2023
Burt Jones
Born	William Burton Jones 25 4, 1979
Birthplace	Jackson, Georgia, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Education	University of Georgia (BS)
Spouse(s)	Janice Boswell
Children	2

William Burton Jones (born April 25, 1979) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 13th lieutenant governor of Georgia since January 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Jones represented the 25th district in the Georgia State Senate from 2013 to 2023 before winning the statewide race for lieutenant governor. Born and raised in Jackson, Georgia, Jones comes from a family with deep roots in the petroleum and insurance industries in central Georgia. His political career has been shaped by his alignment with former President Donald Trump, his involvement in efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, and his legislative record in the state senate. As lieutenant governor, Jones serves as president of the Georgia State Senate. In 2026, he entered the Republican primary for the 2026 Georgia gubernatorial election, seeking to succeed Governor Brian Kemp, who is term-limited. His gubernatorial campaign has attracted national attention, including support from elements of the Republican National Committee, as well as legal challenges from rival candidates over campaign finance practices.

Early Life

William Burton Jones was born on April 25, 1979, in Jackson, Georgia, a small city in Butts County located approximately 50 miles south of Atlanta. He grew up in a family closely associated with the local business community. His family's enterprise, Jones Petroleum Company, has been a fixture in the region's economy. The company, which expanded into fuel distribution, convenience stores, and related businesses, celebrated 50 years of operation, underscoring the family's long-standing presence in the area's commercial life.

Jones's upbringing in a business-oriented family in rural Georgia informed much of his later political identity, which has centered on themes of economic development, deregulation, and conservative values. He has also been associated with JPC Insurance, a family-connected enterprise that provides insurance services in the region.

In addition to his business background, Jones was involved in local civic affairs prior to entering politics. He served on the board of the Butts County Water and Sewer Authority, an experience that provided him with an introduction to public service at the local government level.

Education

Jones attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. The University of Georgia, located in Athens, Georgia, is the state's flagship public university and one of the oldest public universities in the United States. Jones has frequently referenced his Georgia roots and education as part of his political identity.

Career

Georgia State Senate (2013–2023)

Jones was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2012 to represent the 25th district, succeeding Senator Johnny Grant. He took office on January 14, 2013, and served in the chamber for a decade.

During his tenure in the state senate, Jones developed a reputation as a conservative legislator. He was involved in various legislative efforts and was among the more visible Republican members of the chamber. By 2018, there was speculation that Jones was considering a run for higher office, reflecting his growing profile within the state party.

2020 Election Involvement

Jones became a prominent figure in Georgia Republican politics during the aftermath of the 2020 United States presidential election. He was among a group of Georgia Republicans who supported efforts to challenge the results of the presidential election in the state, where Joe Biden narrowly defeated Donald Trump. Jones was vocal in raising claims about the election process, aligning himself closely with Trump's position that the results were suspect.

Jones was one of the individuals who participated in Georgia's alternate elector scheme, serving as one of the Republican electors who signed a certificate claiming to cast the state's electoral votes for Trump despite Biden's certified victory in Georgia. This involvement drew significant legal and media scrutiny.

The alternate elector effort became a central element of the broader investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. Jones's participation was noted in multiple news reports and became a factor in his subsequent political campaigns, where opponents raised questions about his role while supporters viewed it as evidence of his loyalty to the Republican base and to Trump.

2022 Lieutenant Governor Campaign

In August 2021, Jones formally launched his campaign for lieutenant governor of Georgia, entering what was initially considered a competitive Republican primary field. His campaign was described at the outset as an underdog effort.

A significant boost came when Jones secured the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, which elevated his profile in the primary race. Trump's endorsement was a powerful asset in the Republican primary electorate, and Jones leveraged it to consolidate support among the party's base. Jones won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor in May 2022, defeating his opponents and solidifying the GOP ticket alongside Governor Brian Kemp, who had won his own primary despite Trump's opposition to his re-election.

During the campaign, Jones faced scrutiny over ethics and financial disclosure matters. An ethics complaint was filed against him related to his campaign activities, drawing media attention. Separately, reports indicated that Jones had not properly reported private campaign flights in his financial disclosures, raising questions about transparency.

In the November 2022 general election, Jones won the race for lieutenant governor, defeating the Democratic nominee. His victory was part of a broader Republican sweep of statewide offices in Georgia that year.

Lieutenant Governor of Georgia (2023–present)

Jones was sworn in as the 13th lieutenant governor of Georgia on January 9, 2023, succeeding Geoff Duncan, who had chosen not to seek re-election. In his role, Jones serves as the president of the Georgia State Senate, presiding over the chamber's proceedings and wielding influence over the legislative agenda, committee assignments, and the flow of legislation.

As lieutenant governor, Jones has continued to position himself as a conservative leader within the Georgia Republican Party. He has served alongside Governor Brian Kemp, and the two have worked within the state's executive structure despite their differing relationships with former President Trump—Kemp having drawn Trump's ire for refusing to overturn the 2020 election results, while Jones had actively supported Trump's challenges.

2026 Gubernatorial Campaign

Jones entered the 2026 Georgia gubernatorial race as a candidate in the Republican primary, seeking to succeed the term-limited Governor Brian Kemp. His candidacy was seen as a natural progression from his role as lieutenant governor, and he was initially considered a frontrunner in the primary field.

The campaign attracted national attention in February 2026 when the Georgia Republican Party voted to waive its traditional neutrality rule, which had previously kept the state party from endorsing any single Republican candidate over another in primary elections. The move was widely interpreted as an effort to benefit Jones's campaign and drew criticism from rival candidates and some party members. The Republican National Committee's potential intervention in the Georgia race was seen as significant given Georgia's status as a battleground state in national elections.

Jones's campaign faced a significant legal challenge in February 2026 when Rick Jackson, a billionaire health care company CEO and rival Republican gubernatorial candidate, filed a lawsuit against Jones over his campaign finance practices. The lawsuit focused on Jones's use of a leadership committee to raise and spend funds in connection with his gubernatorial campaign.

On February 20, 2026, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order barring Jones's leadership committee from raising or spending money in connection with the gubernatorial campaign. The ruling represented a setback for Jones, as the leadership committee had allowed him to raise funds in amounts that exceeded the limits applicable to standard campaign committees.

The court's decision drew widespread coverage in Georgia media. Reports noted that the leadership committee had enabled Jones to raise millions of dollars in unlimited contributions, and the restraining order effectively blocked this fundraising advantage during the primary campaign.

The gubernatorial race remained a crowded and competitive contest within the Republican primary as of February 2026, with Jones continuing to campaign for the nomination despite the legal and fundraising challenges.

Personal Life

Jones is married to Janice Boswell, and the couple has two children. The family resides in the Jackson, Georgia, area, where Jones's family has maintained longstanding business and community ties through the Jones Petroleum Company and related enterprises.

Jones's business interests include his involvement with the family's petroleum distribution and convenience store operations, as well as connections to JPC Insurance. His dual identity as a businessman and politician has been a recurring theme throughout his public career, with Jones frequently emphasizing his private-sector experience as a qualification for public office.

Recognition

Jones's primary political recognition came through his receipt of Donald Trump's endorsement in the 2022 lieutenant governor's race, which was a decisive factor in his primary victory. His election as lieutenant governor made him one of the highest-ranking Republican officeholders in Georgia and gave him a platform within the national party.

In February 2026, the Georgia Republican Party's decision to waive its neutrality rule was interpreted by political observers as an implicit endorsement of Jones's gubernatorial campaign, further elevating his standing within the state party apparatus. The possibility of RNC involvement in the Georgia gubernatorial primary on Jones's behalf was characterized by Politico as a significant development that could reshape the race in a state considered a premiere battleground.

Jones's career has also drawn attention for the controversies surrounding it, including ethics complaints during his 2022 campaign and the 2026 federal court ruling on his leadership committee's fundraising activities, both of which generated substantial media coverage in Georgia and nationally.