Former President Donald Trump lauded Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp for his support in the battleground state, following years of disparaging remarks where he labeled Kemp as “disloyal,” Fox News reports.
“Thank you to @BrianKempGA for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country. I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump said on Truth Social.
These comments mark a stark contrast to Trump’s previous critiques of Kemp, particularly regarding the governor’s refusal to back Trump’s challenges to the 2020 election results. President Joe Biden narrowly defeated Trump in Georgia by just 11,779 votes that year. In 2021, Trump had mentioned his disappointment with Kemp, stating, “I’ll be here in about a year and a half campaigning against your governor. I guarantee that,” stating the support he gave to Kemp during his initial run for governor.
Just earlier this month, during a rally in Atlanta, Trump referred to Kemp as “disloyal” and labeled him a “bad guy,” spending over ten minutes expressing his frustrations with the governor’s leadership.
However, the recent shift in tone follows Kemp’s appearance on Fox News, where he officially endorsed Trump for president. Although Kemp had previously refrained from endorsing anyone in the GOP primary, he emphasized his commitment to supporting the Republican ticket in the upcoming November elections.
“So we need to send Donald Trump back to the White House. We need to retake the Senate. We need to hold the House. We need to hold our legislative majorities that we have in the great state of Georgia. And it takes hard work. That’s what we’ve been doing,” Kemp stated.
With Georgia being a crucial battleground state, the political landscape remains tense following Trump’s victory in the state in 2016 against Hillary Clinton, contrasted by his 2020 loss to Biden. Earlier this month, Republican insiders suggested that Trump and Kemp should mend their differences to ensure a solid Republican turnout in the upcoming elections.
Trump’s recent praise for Kemp coincides with the Democratic Party’s convention in Chicago, where Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to deliver her speech accepting the nomination.
