ATLANTA (AP) 鈥 When Georgia’s governor and a lightning-rod congresswoman decided last week to not run for the U.S. Senate, it seemed like the waiting game was over among Republicans seeking to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who represents a district on the Georgia coast, had become the when he announced on Thursday. Then, state did the same on Monday.
鈥淚 expect a competitive primary 鈥 Senate seats don鈥檛 come along that often,鈥 said Eric Tanenblatt, a top national GOP fundraiser and Kemp ally who has backed Trump鈥檚 rivals in presidential primaries.
But after the exits of Gov. Brian Kemp and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, there鈥檚 a new waiting game going on. Hopefuls are looking to President Donald Trump and Kemp for support. The governor told reporters last week that he鈥檇 like to unite with Trump behind a preferred candidate, which could head off an expensive and tumultuous primary that could weaken a nominee.
鈥淚 had a good conversation with President Trump about my decision. And I鈥檓 going to continue talking to him about the races in Georgia,鈥 Kemp said in Forsyth, Georgia. 鈥淚 think if it鈥檚 possible, it would be great if we can line up on things. That鈥檚 hard to do sometimes in primaries.鈥
Kemp and Trump met Sunday in Washington, , and some possible contenders are waiting to see how things play out. Republican congressman Mike Collins said on the day that Kemp stepped aside that he wanted to hear from Trump.
鈥淚 will speak to President Trump and his team and do whatever is necessary to ensure he has another vote in the Senate for the America First agenda,鈥 Collins said on the day Kemp stepped aside.
Five other GOP officeholders have acknowledged interest in the race, including two other Republicans in Congress, Rick Allen and . Also mulling it over are Secretary of State , state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and state Sen. Greg Dolezal.
Trump鈥檚 own desires could elevate others.
, Trump鈥檚 White House political adviser during Trump鈥檚 first term, is in his first term in Congress. Jack has vaulted onto a leadership track in the House, becoming deputy chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, the GOP House campaign arm. Having also served as an aide to then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Jack was elected as the freshman representative to the House GOP Steering Committee. Jack has shown no public interest in the Senate seat but may be closer to Trump than any Georgia Republican.
Republicans have flagged Georgia and Michigan as prime opportunities for expanding their Senate majority in 2026. But in Georgia, unlike Michigan, the Democratic incumbent is seeking reelection. for Georgia and work with Republicans while also offering a sharp critique of Trump.
While Georgia backed Trump in 2024, the state鈥檚 voters have sometimes supported Democrats. They chose Joe Biden in 2020. They handed Senate control to Democrats in January 2021 runoffs by after Republicans David Perdue and Loeffler lashed themselves to that his 2020 defeat was rigged. They then over Herschel Walker, the Republican nominee in 2022.
Any Republican challenger to Ossoff must win a primary that could be decided well to the right of the broader electorate.
鈥淩epublicans don鈥檛 want business as usual. They want disruption,鈥 said Chip Lake, a GOP campaign consultant who worked for Walker in 2022.
But a primary in which every candidate tries to be the most conservative and most loyal to Trump could cause problems later.
鈥淚f we nominate someone that is just too extreme, I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 going to go well for us in a general election,鈥 Tanenblatt said.
Rallying around a single candidate might reduce that risk. That鈥檚 where Trump and Kemp, who has with the president, could play key roles.
Kemp pledged that his , considered the most effective in Georgia, will work for a Republican Senate win in 2026. Victory could burnish Kemp鈥檚 reputation.
鈥淛ust because my name鈥檚 not on the ballot, that doesn鈥檛 mean that I won鈥檛 be on the political playing field,鈥 Kemp said.
But some time to campaign without a Trump endorsement would give candidates time to prove themselves, said Brian Robinson, a Republican political consultant.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see how hard they鈥檙e working. We鈥檒l see how much money they鈥檙e raising and we鈥檒l see what machinations go on in the third-party groups out of D.C.,鈥 Robinson said, alluding to politically active conservative groups such as Club for Growth.
Carter, a pharmacist, mayor and state lawmaker before he went to Congress, is trying to get a jump on that process. Tanenblatt said Carter is the kind of Republican who can appeal to the Trump base and the party鈥檚 more traditional wing. His challenge, Tanenblatt said, is that he鈥檚 largely unknown in metro Atlanta, home to most Georgia voters.
Collins, a second-term congressman, might benefit from representing a northeast Georgia district that includes some of Atlanta鈥檚 suburbs. Besides Greene, he鈥檚 maybe the most like Trump stylistically, with a string of inflammatory social media posts and a big, booming personality. It鈥檚 not an act, said Jay Morgan, a longtime Republican strategist.
鈥淭his is not something he made up,鈥 Morgan said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 gotten a little better at it, he鈥檚 gotten a little more polished and he is a hard worker. Nobody will work harder than Mike Collins.鈥
Maybe the best-known Republican prospect is Raffensperger, but his notoriety could cut both ways. Raffensperger is best known for clashing with Trump when Biden鈥檚 2020 win in Georgia.
鈥淭he best argument Brad Raffensperger can make is he can win,鈥 Morgan said.
Raffensperger appealed to in his 2022 reelection bid, but he is despised by many Republican activists.
鈥淒onald Trump is the leader of this party, and you鈥檙e not going to have success at all in a primary as a candidate running for any office in Georgia if you don鈥檛 acknowledge that and be supportive of that,鈥 Lake said,
The right nominee will tap into GOP hunger to win back one of Georgia鈥檚 Senate seats after three consecutive losses.
鈥淭hey are tired of losing,鈥 Morgan said. 鈥淎nd this could be a critical, critical race. Depending on what happens in the country and the mood of the country, this is a race Republicans can win again.鈥
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