ATHENS, Georgia — As Georgia Republicans struggle with a growing identity crisis, one leader who has largely stayed out of the fray has been the state’s top elected Republican: Gov. Brian Kemp.
Kemp, who is expected to run for reelection in 2022, has stood by as President Trump and his allies have attacked the integrity of Georgia’s elections and its new $100 million voting system. He’s also kept quiet when Trump launched Twitter broadsides at him and Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Republican secretary of state. When the president came after his lieutenant governor, Kemp let the character assassination fly.
Late Tuesday, Trump mocked Kemp’s sliding approval rating.
“Wow! Governor Kemp will hopefully see the light before it is too late. Must finally take charge!” Trump tweeted.
Wow! Governor Kemp will hopefully see the light before it is too late. Must finally take charge! Two GREAT Senators, who do so much for Georgia and truly love the USA, are in a must win battle with two incompetents who don’t have a clue! https://t.co/j10ZRZpYjK
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2020
Lifelong Republicans, such as Antoinette Bennett of Athens, said they have frustratingly watched their ruby-red state turn blue in 2020 and blame Kemp for not doing his part to help the GOP.
“He took a Xanax and slowly backed away,” Bennett joked to the Washington Examiner. “He used to be a pretty conservative guy, but after he won the election, he drifted to the middle. But now, he’s acting more like a Democrat than a Republican.”
At a “Stop the Steal” rally outside the state Capitol on Nov. 7, protesters shouted, “Where’s Brian Kemp?” They repeated the chant in front of the governor’s mansion in Atlanta.
Kemp, desperate to keep his political career alive, is between a rock and a hard place, said Scott Ainsworth, a political science professor at the University of Georgia.
“He’s trying to walk a fine line between supporting his secretary of state and not irritating President Trump,” Ainsworth told the Washington Examiner.
If Kemp supports Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud in Georgia, it could damage his credibility and hurt his political aspirations. If he says nothing, he risks alienating Republican voters.
“He would have to admit that, as governor, he was overseeing an agency that failed to conduct a straightforward election,” Ainsworth said. “His rivals would seize upon that.”
Raffensberger, on the other hand, has a responsibility to push back publicly on allegations of widespread voter fraud and a rigged election.
“If he does a demonstrably horrible job, Democrats will sue because of horrible maleficence,” Ainsworth said. “Raffensperger’s professional reputation depends on it. There is no reason to believe that there was some sort of fraud or widespread abuse of election procedures.”
He added that Raffenperger has every reason to do a thorough and complete job and zero reasons to botch it.
While Raffensperger continues to get clobbered by Trump and other high-ranking GOP officials almost daily, Kemp’s silence is speaking volumes, David McLaughlin, a Democratic activist and the host of the Kudzu Vine political podcast, told the Washington Examiner.
“He’s trying to be as least controversial as possible,” he said.
Kemp narrowly edged out Democratic darling Stacey Abrams to lead the state in 2018 and was elected in part by headline-grabbing visits from Trump.
After his win, Trump sent Kemp a signed note to congratulate him, written on a newspaper clipping of the victory.
Some Republicans believe Kemp should repay the favor and align more closely with Trump, which means criticizing the management and handling of Georgia elections, which Raffensperger oversees.
Centrists are angry at Kemp for hanging his lieutenant governor and Raffensperger out to dry while he looks out for his own political career. Kemp’s relationship with Trump started to turn after he appointed Kelly Loeffler to fill retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson’s seat. Trump wanted Rep. Doug Collins for the job but eventually warmed to Kemp’s pick. Kemp irritated Trump again over coronavirus restrictions.
“[Kemp] needs to start doing what we elected him for,” Alpharetta resident Bobby Martin told the Washington Examiner. “We need a leader who stands up for us and Trump. He can either do that, or he can get out.”
