Georgia’s popular Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said he’ll pass on running for Senate in 2026, dimming the GOP’s chances of winning back the seat from Democrats.
Mr. Kemp, 61, announced his decision on social media, telling followers that he had informed President Trump and Senate Republican leadership of the decision not to challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Democrat who won the seat in 2021.
“I have decided that being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family,” Mr. Kemp said.
His decision follows the announcement by another top GOP recruit, former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, that he’ll pass on the midterm race for Senate in the Granite State.
Like Mr. Sununu, Republicans had set their sights on Mr. Kemp as the GOP candidate with the best chance of reclaiming the seat. Democrats have held both Georgia Senate seats since 2021.
Mr. Kemp won reelection decisively to a second term as governor of the Peach State in 2022, defeating Democrat Stacey Abrams by 7.5 percentage points.
A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll showed Mr. Kemp and Mr. Ossoff in a dead heat.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conservative firebrand and staunch Trump ally, is weighing a run against Mr. Ossoff but has not announced her plans.
The AJC poll showed Mr. Ossoff beating Ms. Greene in a hypothetical matchup by 17 points, mostly due to his support from independent voters.
Ms. Greene recently sent supporters a fundraising email fishing for support for a potential Senate bid.
“This would be the biggest fight of my life, the most important, the most brutal, and the most high-stakes,” Ms. Greene wrote to supporters. “The radical Left, the fake news media, the RINOs, the globalist billionaires – they would all come after me with everything they’ve got.”
Mr. Kemp’s departure from the race will likely result in a crowded primary field.
In addition to Ms. Greene, other potential GOP candidates include Reps. Buddy Carter, Mike Collins, and Rich McCormick, and Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.
Mr. Collins said Monday that he had urged Mr. Kemp to run for the seat and is disappointed he won’t challenge Mr. Ossoff.
“Republicans can absolutely win this Senate seat in Georgia, and I encourage all interested parties to fully commit and invest in the number one pick-up opportunity in the country,” Mr. Collins said.
Speculation swirled over the reasons behind Mr. Kemp’s decision. Some cited the economic uncertainty brought by Mr. Trump’s trade policies, which could make 2026 a difficult election year for Republicans already facing a traditional midterm backlash.
Others pointed to Mr. Kemp’s contentious relationship with the president and some suggested he was holding out to run for president in 2028.
While he endorsed Mr. Trump’s 2024 campaign, the two are not considered allies.
Mr. Kemp was the subject of bitter attacks by the president after he refused to heed Mr. Trump’s demands to overturn the results of the 2020 election that gave President Biden a narrow win in the state.
University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato called Mr. Kemp’s decision a “smart move,” because an anti-Trump wave could give Mr. Ossoff an edge.
Mr. Sabato said Mr. Ossoff’s chances of winning reelection are brighter, “but far from certain.”
