DARIEN – The marathon primary for governor is now entering its final kick.

While Democrats have settled on former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms as their nominee to replace Gov. Brian Kemp, Republicans will choose between current Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and businessman Rick Jackson to follow Kemp, who is serving the last of his two four-year terms.

It’s been a costly race on the Republican side, both in terms of money spent and accusations hurled at each other, Jones acknowledged in a stop Thursday afternoon.

“It’s been a nasty campaign,” he said. “And it’s been very expensive. We’ve had $200 million spent against us. I give us the best chance.”

Jones took 38.4% of the votes in the May primary, falling short of the 50% plus one needed to avoid a runoff. Jackson was second with 32.5%. Current state Attorney General Chris Carr, who was fourth at 11.9% of the vote, since has endorsed Jackson.

But Jones quickly pointed out he won every coastal county and won 127 of the state’s 159 counties.

“It didn’t happen by accident,” he said. “It is because of the relationships we have in counties all over the state is the reason we were successful.”

He also has the backing of more than 100 sheriffs and 29 of the 33 Republicans in the state Senate.

“He understands what the people here are doing and some of the struggles that we have,” said state Rep. Buddy Deloach (R-Townsend), the former Hinesville mayor and an ardent Jones supporter. “He is the man who can win the general election in November.”

State Sen. Mike Hodges (R-Brunswick) has worked with Jones the last four years and also backed him.

“Number one, he’s a good man,” Hodges said. “He understands family issues. Number two, he’s a small businessman. He knows what it’s like to sign the front of a paycheck and the back of one. He’s also a damn good leader. He has done an excellent job. He listens. He’s tough when he needs to be. He will do a wonderful job as your next governor.”

Jones, from Jackson, grew up on a cattle farm and his family now runs Jones Petroleum, with around 2,500 employees. He said that when he decided to run for governor, he wanted to focus on “kitchen table” issues, including lowering taxes, improving access to health care in rural areas, and cutting back on regulations.

“I’m proud of the record I have,” he said.

Jones said one of his goals is to eliminate the state income tax and the property tax for homeowners.

“There is a way of doing it, but you have to have the legislature on your side,” he said. “I want to put more money back in your pockets.”

Jones, who has the endorsement from President Trump, also told supporters he is the only conservative in the governor’s race. He called Jackson “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” citing donations to former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Planned Parenthood.

“When someone is trying to flood the zone with a lot of deception and a lot of misinformation, you’ve got to ask the question why,” Jones said. “People have been confused who to vote for because of it.”

With the governor’s seat up for grabs as Kemp reaches his term limit, and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff also running for re-election, Jones called Georgia “ground zero” for the national political stage, and added nearly $1 billion could be spent on the Senate and governor’s races.

“They are beatable,” he said of Ossoff and Bottoms. “But if you pick the wrong person, we will lose.”