truthseekersjournal
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | May 6, 2025
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has made it official: he will not run for U.S. Senate in 2026. The announcement sent shockwaves through the political world, especially in Georgia, where many Republicans had hoped Kemp would take on Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff.
Kemp’s decision was posted on X (formerly Twitter) Monday afternoon. “Being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family,” he wrote. He also confirmed that he had spoken to Senate GOP leadership and former President Donald Trump about his decision.
Kemp’s absence from the race leaves Republicans without their strongest possible challenger to Ossoff, who is widely considered the most vulnerable Democrat up for re-election in 2026.
Kemp’s Strong Political Standing
Kemp, a two-term governor, is one of the most well-known and popular Republicans in Georgia. In 2018, he narrowly defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams. Four years later, he beat her again — this time by more than seven percentage points. Kemp also overcame a Trump-backed primary challenge from former Senator David Perdue, winning by over 50 points.
Polls had shown that Kemp would be a top contender against Ossoff. An April poll from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution had Kemp ahead of the Democrat 49% to 46%, a margin within the 3.1-point error range. It was the only matchup where a Republican led Ossoff.
Kemp’s decision not to run means other Republicans will need to step up. However, none currently match his name recognition or appeal across the state.
Jon Ossoff: From Underdog to Incumbent
Jon Ossoff, now 37, became a national figure during the 2017 special election for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. Though he lost that race, he gained a reputation as a rising star in the Democratic Party.
In 2020, Ossoff ran for U.S. Senate and forced incumbent Republican David Perdue into a runoff. He won the January 2021 runoff by less than two points, thanks to heavy turnout in metro Atlanta and strong support from Black voters. His victory, along with Raphael Warnock’s, flipped the Senate to Democratic control.
Since then, Ossoff has built a solid war chest. In the first three months of 2025, he raised over $11 million — more than any Senate incumbent in an off-year. His campaign manager, Ellen Foster, said the campaign is ready for any challenge. “As Republicans scramble in the aftermath, our campaign will continue to build insurmountable momentum needed to win next November,” she said.
GOP’s New Bench
Without Kemp, the field is wide open. Several names have already emerged.
One of the highest-profile is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Known for her far-right views and support of conspiracy theories, Greene has not ruled out a Senate run. She once said she would only run if Kemp did not. Now that he’s out, she is expected to consider it seriously.
However, a recent poll showed Greene trailing Ossoff by 17 points, 54% to 37%. That’s a troubling sign for Republicans hoping to flip the seat.
Other possible GOP candidates include:
- Rep. Mike Collins, a freshman Congressman from middle Georgia.
- Rep. Buddy Carter, who represents the coastal region of the state.
- Rep. Rich McCormick, a physician and Marine veteran from the Atlanta suburbs.
- Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, who has already visited the National Republican Senatorial Committee offices.
- Insurance Commissioner John King, a retired police chief and former Army major general.
All of these names come with pros and cons, but none have Kemp’s statewide reach or fundraising power.
A Look at Kemp’s Political Future
Kemp is term-limited and will leave office in 2027. That means his next political move is uncertain, but his decision to skip the Senate race does not mean he’s done.
Over the weekend, Kemp hosted a high-dollar donor retreat at Sea Island, Georgia. Attendees were asked to contribute as much as $100,000 each. The event shows that Kemp is still in the game — just not for 2026.
At 61 years old, he could be eyeing a national run in 2028. Kemp is well-known in Republican circles and has a strong record of winning tough elections in a purple state.
Kemp’s relationship with Trump has been complicated. The two clashed after the 2020 election when Kemp refused to support Trump’s fraud claims. Trump even called Kemp “the worst governor in America” in terms of election integrity. In 2022, Trump backed Perdue in the primary, but Kemp won in a landslide.
Since then, the two have made peace. Kemp endorsed Trump’s 2024 run, and Trump went on to win Georgia. Kemp also confirmed he spoke with Trump on Monday before making his Senate announcement. “I expressed my commitment to work alongside them to ensure we have a strong Republican nominee,” Kemp said.
Democrats Seize the Moment
Democrats wasted no time in calling Kemp’s decision a major GOP failure.
Maeve Coyle, spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), issued a statement on May 5, 2025, in response to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s announcement that he would not run for the U.S. Senate in 2026. In her statement, Coyle characterized Kemp’s decision as “yet another embarrassing Republican Senate recruitment failure,” suggesting that it underscores challenges within the GOP’s candidate recruitment efforts and highlights the influence of former President Donald Trump’s agenda on Republican candidates. This statement was reported in several news outlets, including The Washington Post and The Current.
Ossoff, for his part, has not shied away from criticizing Trump. He has described the former president as having “authoritarian impulses” and a “desire to rule as a king.” In a recent interview, he said, “This country was founded on a rejection of kings, and the American people have no interest in this new experiment in monarchy.”
What Comes Next
With Kemp out, all eyes are now on who will officially jump in. Greene remains the wildcard. A Senate run would mean giving up her House seat unless she waits to announce and risks losing both. She’s also floated the idea of running for governor in 2026, which could create tension with more mainstream Republicans.
Meanwhile, Ossoff continues to prepare for a battle. His campaign is already operating as if 2026 is around the corner. Democrats view holding the Georgia seat as critical to regaining control of the Senate, where Republicans currently have a 53-47 advantage.
In a state where every race is close, nothing is certain. Georgia has become one of the most competitive battlegrounds in the country. Ossoff won by less than two points in 2021. Warnock won by just under three points in 2022. And Trump reclaimed Georgia in 2024 by a narrow margin.
With Kemp out of the picture, the road ahead is more uncertain than ever — for Republicans and could be a massive opportunity for the Democrats.
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While I agree that Governor Kemp’s decision not to run for U.S Senate is good news for Democrats, it is too early to break out the champagne! This is still largely a Republican state and there are other Republicans who could run and possibly win. Even that crazy Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who says that she is considering running for the Senate seat. Regardless of who runs against Senator Jon Ossoff it will be a close race.
Chuck, why does it have to be a close race? Ossoff and Warnock have been serving “all” of the constituents of Georgia. Why can’t Ossoff list all of his accomplishments that have benefitted the “red” portion of the state and run a campaign that essentially says to the people of Georgia they have a horse in the race that is a winning horse. There is not a horse still in the barn that has the experience the understanding of the process or the true ability to govern and deliver to the good people of Georgia like he could.
I understand that frequently people vote against their own self interest — but maybe, just maybe, this first one hundred days has created just a small crack into that twisted thinking that Ossoff could penetrate enough to convert a enough still straddling the fence to make it race that is not close.
George –
Your faith in people, particularly Republicans, doing the right thing and voting in their best interests is much stronger than mine. Sen. Ossoff can list all of what he considers to be his accomplishments that he wants but MAGA has demonstrated time and time again that logic and reasoning is not something with which they are concerned. Furthermore, this is a center right leaning State and Sen. Ossoff’s voting record has been consistently more liberal than Sen. Warnock. However, my main reason for believing that this will be an incredibly close race for Sen. Ossoff is because Sen. Warnock will not be running with him this time. According to a news report by CBS news “ Georgia’s two Democratic Senate candidates were propelled to victory by strong support from voters of color, large turnout in Democratic areas and substantial early voting. Their victories handed Democrats control of the Senate for the first time since 2014.”
Black voters came out in record numbers to elect Sen. Warnock and I believe that Sen. Ossoff was the beneficiary of the large Black turnout. In addition, this will not be a presidential election year, and the turnout will be a lot smaller. Unless there is a large Black turnout in the metro Atlanta area Sen. Ossoff will not win and unfortunately, I don’t see that happening this time around.
I forgot to include in my response that Sen. Ossoff is not as well know as Sen. Warnock. In addition to that Sen. Ossoff is fighting up hill because the Georgia Republican State Legislature has been very effective over the past few years changing the voting laws, affecting where, when and how you can vote. The Legislature has closed many of the places you can vote, especially in rural communities. So, you have to travel further to vote and stand longer in lines. They have limited the time you can vote by shortening the hours you can vote. Most importantly they have allowed anyone to challenge your voting status and strike you off the voting rolls. If you don’t check before you vote when you arrive at the polling station you may have been purged off of the voting rolls. MAGA groups have been going over the voter registration rolls and systematically challenging minorities. These minor changes combined with low voter turnout in off year elections can make a huge difference. What they have done is not new but allowed now because the Supreme Court has gutted the voting rights act. These minor changes can shave off 20 or 30 thousand votes. Just enough to win a close election!