Politics
Burt Jones Blames Rick Jackson for GOP Losses, Floats Medicaid Expansion Deal
Outgoing Lt. Gov. Burt Jones says Republicans could back Medicaid expansion if Democrats scrap hospital regulations, while blaming Rick Jackson and his advisers for the party's election defeats.
Outgoing Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is proposing a compromise on Medicaid expansion, suggesting Republicans could support broadening health coverage if Democrats agree to eliminate state regulations that restrict where hospitals can operate. The proposal, outlined in an exclusive interview, offers a potential path for Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms, who made expanding health coverage a central promise of her campaign but will need Republican votes to deliver it.
Jones also sharply criticized his former rivals and offered unexpected advice for the Democrats preparing to take power. He blamed Rick Jackson and his advisers for the Republican Party's losses, arguing that a scorched-earth campaign and consultants' âbillion-dollarâ approach alienated voters.
âItâs good to be unfiltered,â Jones said. He told how he had warned that the GOP would lose the election weeks before it happened, saying, âWeâre not going to win a statewide race if we donât have a message that unites people.â
Jones said Republicans were âoutworkedâ and âout-organizedâ by Democrats, who he said brought a coordinated message and energy to the campaign. He pointed to U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Gov.-elect Bottoms as candidates who connected with voters on issues like health care access and affordability.
On Medicaid, Jones said he sees a potential compromise between expanding coverage and allowing new hospital construction. He argued that current regulations, which require certificates of need for new medical facilities, limit competition and access. âThereâs thousands of people that got health care if we allow a compromise to add more facilities,â Jones said.
He also acknowledged that the issue is personal: his family has been in the health care business, and his father helped develop a hospital in Butts County. Jones said he has long argued that loosening restrictions would improve rural access to care.
Jones suggested Democrats should not overinterpret their victory. âDonât check a blank mandate after a confusing election,â he said. âEverybody might make the moment bigger than it is.â
He also weighed in on the failed redistricting push, saying he was caught off guard when House Speaker Jon Burns announced Republicans would not redraw political maps during a special session. âThe confidence was there when they heard it,â Jones said. âI was having a conversation about it.â
Looking ahead, Jones said he would be open to serving in a Trump administration if asked, but he also acknowledged that the GOP defeat leaves him weighing his next move. âI want to be successful,â he said. âThereâs plenty of life after politics, and itâs good.â