Georgia Governor Brian Kemp responded to attacks from former President Donald Trump over the weekend, encouraging Trump to stop attacking fellow Republicans and focus on beating Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump launched a series of attacks against Georgia Republican officials on Saturday for matters related to the 2020 presidential election. Trump specifically targeted Kemp, his record as governor, and his wife, Marty Kemp.
Kemp responded to Trump’s attack on X.
“My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats – not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past.”
“You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it,” he added.
My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats – not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past.
You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it. pic.twitter.com/m8y6CSuZKY
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) August 3, 2024
Kemp has endorsed Trump’s current presidential campaign, saying that he will vote for the former president because “he’d be better than Joe Biden. It’s as simple as that.”
It’s not clear what set off Trump’s most recent round of attacks on Kemp. Kemp did not attend Trump’s rally in Atlanta on Saturday due to a prior commitment, according to local media.
“Brian Kemp should focus his efforts on fighting Crime, not fighting Unity and the Republican Party!” Trump posted on social media. “His Crime Rate in Georgia is terrible, his Crime Rate in Atlanta is the worst, and his Economy is average.”
While Atlanta’s crime rate is high, Georgia’s overall crime rate ranked near the middle of the pack when compared to all other states. The state’s economy is ranked as one of the best in the nation.
“He should be seeking UNITY, not Retribution, especially against the man that got him the Nomination through Endorsement and, without whom, he could never have beaten Stacey Abrams,” Trump said.
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Trump did help Kemp secure the nomination in 2018, and Kemp went on to beat Democrat gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams by 1.4 percent, or roughly 55,000 votes. In 2022, Kemp faced a primary challenge during his re-election campaign against Trump-endorsed candidate David Perdue and won by 51.9 percent, or 623,900 votes. Kemp faced Abrams again in a rematch that year and won by 7.5 percent, or 297,899 votes.
“He and his wife didn’t think he could win,” Trump continued. “I said, ‘I’m telling you you’re going to win.’ Then he won, he was happy, and his wife said, ‘Thank you, Sir, we’ll never be able to make it up to you!’ Now she says she won’t Endorse me, and is going to ‘write in Brian Kemp’s name.’ Well, I don’t want her Endorsement, and I don’t want his.”
Trump then appeared to blame the Kemps for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ criminal prosecution of Trump and several others in Trump’s orbit for their alleged actions surrounding the 2020 presidential election and said that Kemp was “a bad guy.”
