2 Georgia Democratic sheriffs cross party lines to endorse GOP’s Rick Jackson – Atlanta News First

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Two Democratic Georgia sheriffs have broken party ranks to endorse Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson.
Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk and Dooly County Sheriff Craig Peavy are backing Jackson over his Democratic opponent, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, citing concerns over public safety and support for law enforcement.
“Public safety is more important than political affiliations,” Paulk said, while Peavy said he trusts Jackson to stand with sheriffs and be a “true partner” in keeping Georgia safe.
Paulk has successfully run as a Democrat in seven elections, but said he has a history of endorsing Republicans, including Gov. Brian Kemp. He said he could not recall ever endorsing a Democrat for a statewide office.
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Atlanta News First has reached out to the Bottoms campaign for comment, but has not yet heard back.
On Tuesday, a new InsiderAdvantage poll showed Jackson and Bottoms deadlocked at 46% support each. Another 8% of voters remain undecided.
Last week, Jackson unveiled a sweeping economic proposal aimed at restoring historic commercial districts and boosting minority-owned small businesses across six historic neighborhoods in the state, including Atlanta’s iconic Sweet Auburn corridor.
Under the plan, Jackson pledged to assign a dedicated state coordinator to synchronize Georgia’s 17 Small Business Development Centers. The coordinator would focus directly on helping local entrepreneurs navigate business licensing, secure financing and compete for state contracts.
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