Kemp faces big challenges from GOP as Perdue announces bid for governor
ATLANTA - The race for Georgia governor is getting more crowded.
Former Sen. David Perdue officially announced Monday a run for governor. He would become the second Republican to challenge incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp, still facing fallout for refusing to get behind Fmr. Pres. Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn Pres. Joe Biden’s victory in 2020.
Perdue’s campaign website went live on Sunday night.
He joins Democrat Stacey Abrams and fellow Republican Vernon Jones in the race.
FOX 5 spoke one-on-one with Gov. Kemp before the news about Perdue got out about the mounting competition from both the left and the right.
"I feel like I’m in great shape," Kemp told FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo. "I feel like I know what Georgians want, I’m running on my record."
Sources close to Perdue’s campaign would not publicly comment on the reports of his candidacy.
Perdue, who lost his latest senate bid Sen. Jon Ossoff, would have Trump’s backing, according to the Fox News report.
FORMER U.S. SENATOR DAVID PERDUE EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE RUN FOR GEORGIA GOVERNOR
Trump has had a vendetta against Kemp since the fallout from the 2020 presidential election.
"Stacey, would you like to take his place?" Trump said at a rally over the summer, perhaps jokingly, referring to Kemp, "It’s ok with me."
Kemp is no longer in good graces with much of Trump’s base either. He was booed at the state GOP convention over the summer. Upon learning of Perdue's official announcement, the former president issued the following statement Monday:
"Wow, it looks like highly respected Senator David Perdue will be running against RINO Brian Kemp for Governor of Georgia. David was a great Senator, and he truly loves his State and his Country. This will be very interesting, and I can’t imagine that Brian Kemp, who has hurt election integrity in Georgia so badly, can do well at the ballot box (unless the election is rigged, of course). He cost us two Senate seats and a Presidential victory in the Great State of Georgia."
Abrams’ team put out a statement Sunday evening in response to the prospect of a Kemp/Perdue faceoff.
"While David Perdue and Brian Kemp fight each other, Stacey Abrams will be fighting for the people of Georgia," his campaign said in an email. "Both Kemp and Perdue would deprive 500,000 Georgians of health coverage that our taxpayers already paid for. Both would continue to underfund our schools, both would continue to divide Georgia and both would continue reckless decisions that have endangered the lives of Georgians during the pandemic. Only Stacey Abrams will lead to create One Georgia in which all of our people, regardless of zip code, background or access to power, have the opportunity to thrive."
Meanwhile, Kemp’s team came out with a scathing statement against Perdue Sunday afternoon.
"Perdue’s only reason for running is to soothe his own bruised ego, because his campaign for U.S Senate failed to inspire voters at the ballot box – twice," wrote Cody Hall, Kemp’s communications director and senior advisor. "Governor Kemp has a proven track record of fighting the radical left to put hardworking Georgians first, while Perdue is best known for ducking debates, padding his stock portfolio during a pandemic, and losing winnable races."