Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (right) said he would “absolutely” support former President Trump if he becomes the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, even after Trump’s recent comments. to express one’s regret on Kemp’s support in 2018.
Pressed by Fox News’ Neil Cavuto in an interview on Wednesday whether he would support Trump if he became the party’s 2024 nominee, Kemp said, “Absolutely, I’m going to back the nominee.”
“Like I said, again, I’ve worked very hard for the president. I think his ideas … will be part of our party for a long time into the future,” Kemp said. “And Republicans, we have to have a big tent. I mean, there are a lot of great ideas out there.
“We’re not always going to get along, but I think the president deserves a lot of credit,” Kemp continued. “And he’s not leaving.”
Earlier this week, Trump said he thought his decision to endorse Kemp ahead of the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary runoff was “an endorsement that hurt us.”
Trump claimed Kemp, who former Georgia Lt. Governor Casey Cagle ran against in a GOP primary runoff, was in “last or near last place” at the time of approval.
“I supported him, he ended up winning the election, and he certainly wasn’t very effective for the Republican Party, to put it mildly,” Trump said.
Trump’s statement is part of a series of jabs the former president has hurled at Kemp following the 2020 presidential election, in which traditionally red Georgia stunned the nation when it opted for a Democrat for the first time since 1992.
Trump has sharply criticized Kemp and Georgian Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) on several occasions since the election after the two pushed back against Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud that cost him the state and his re-election .
In End of november, Trump said he was “ashamed” to have endorsed Kemp years ago. He also lobbied for the governor’s main challengers in the weeks after the election and asked the then-Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) at a rally in December if he wishes to run for the position. Trump also called on Kemp to step down.
Later in December, Kemp brushed off Trump’s calls to resignas well as calls for him to face a primarycalling the attacks distractions.
“As for my primary, I don’t give a damn right now,” Kemp said at the time. “The most important thing we all need to do, no matter what you think about what’s going on in Georgia, we need to support David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.”
So-Sense. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) ended up losing their seats to Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock, costing the Republican Party control of the upper house.
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