On Thursday, former President Trump and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp appeared to be mending their strained relationship in anticipation of the upcoming November elections.
Kemp, who appeared on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show—a platform favored by Trump—emphasized the need to focus on electing Trump back to the presidency. “We need to secure victories from the top of the ticket down,” Kemp asserted. “It’s crucial that we get Donald Trump back in the White House, retake the Senate, and maintain control of the House.”
Brian Kemp urges GOP unity and emphasizes the importance of electing Trump back to the White House
Shortly after Kemp’s Fox News interview, Trump took to Truth Social to express his appreciation for Kemp’s support. “Thank you to #BrianKempGA for your help and support in Georgia, which is vital for our Party and, most importantly, our Country,” Trump posted. “I look forward to collaborating with you, your team, and all my friends in Georgia to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The Trump campaign did not provide details on the timing of their last conversation.
The rift between Trump and Kemp dates back to the result of the 2020 election, where Trump narrowly lost Georgia and subsequently pressured Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to contest the results. The relationship has remained fraught since then.
Trump backed a primary opponent against Kemp in 2022, but Kemp prevailed over former Senator David Perdue and won re-election by an even larger margin than in 2018. Although Kemp did not vote for Trump in Georgia’s presidential primary in late May, he has endorsed Trump for the general election.
Trump had recently criticized Kemp at an Atlanta rally, which puzzled some Republicans who felt he should focus more on Vice President Harris, the newly confirmed Democratic nominee.
As Georgia emerges as a critical battleground state again this November, Trump is currently leading Harris by about 3 percentage points according to a Decision Desk HQ/The Hill average of state polls.
