A congressional candidate running as a &#8220;100% pro-life&#8221; conservative with a “titanium backbone” once said a Georgia law banning abortion after an unborn baby’s heartbeat could be detected was “counter” to the majority of society and passed to satisfy the far right. 
Former Hollywood executive Ryan Millsap, who&#8217;s running for Congress in Georgia&#8217;s 10th Congressional district, says he is fully pro-life. But years ago he said that the state’s heartbeat law was bad for business and urged lawmakers to reconsider pro-life protections, according to multiple interviews unearthed by The Daily Wire. 
Millsap said Georgia&#8217;s heartbeat law, signed by Governor Brian Kemp in May 2019, was out of step with the western world in an interview with Deadline. He was CEO of the production company Blackhall Studios at the time. 
“It was a scary time for those of us in the entertainment industry because a law like that would certainly put Georgia in a very awkward position relative to the modern English-speaking world,” Millsap <a href="https://deadline.com/2020/06/reopening-hollywood-ceo-georgia-blackhall-studios-production-hub-1202956336/">said</a> in June 2020. “It is a huge disadvantage if you live in a state that has laws on its books that are counter to the majority of society.”
In the same interview, Millsap said that the law was only passed because Kemp was bowing to the far right.
“The governor’s farthest-right support base wanted it and the governor’s farthest right support base asked him for it and … played a key role in getting him elected,” he said. “That put him in a very complicated position. … I believe the political winds required a bill.”
After the bill was first passed by the legislature, Millsap said that boycotts from film studios targeting the state were economically, not politically driven. He said Hollywood was not “trying to impose its values” on the state. 
“The production companies don&#8217;t care, necessarily, about the moral consequences, one way or the other, of a law. They care about their supply chain and business. And when we pass laws that disrupt their supply chain, it makes us less competitive to London or Canada,” he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A75WXKgdj20">said</a> in October 2019. “I think that the biggest worry is just whether or not Georgian politicians understand the value of the entertainment industry, understand that it&#8217;s a non-political set.” 
Millsap also suggested that an injunction blocking the law after it went into effect allowed “business as usual” to move forward, but that the state had “some ground to make up” politically. 
The heartbeat law went into full effect in October 2024 when the state Supreme Court ruled in its favor. At least 12 Republican-led states have enacted heartbeat or total bans on abortion. 
“Ryan Millsap is a husband and father who believes in the miracle of life, has always been 100% pro-life and supports the state’s law now that the issue has been settled,&#8221; his campaign told The Daily Wire. &#8220;He believes that the Dobbs decision was correctly decided and that states should address this issue and that no federal funds should be used for abortion.”
Millsap, who launched his campaign last month, is running as a political outsider and is campaigning on deporting illegal immigrants, banning congressional stock trading, and supporting cryptocurrency. 
“I&#8217;m running to smash the status quo and fight back against the radical Left and the RINOs. I bought into their lies, too. But COVID and Antifa made me realize they sold us out,” he said in his campaign launch ad.
He <a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/03/provocative-film-executive-enters-georgia-house-race-with-4m-pledge/">told</a> the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he was running &#8220;because we need someone with a titanium backbone who doesn&#8217;t care about climbing the political ladder but is running to defeat the radical left once and for all and end the reign of radical lunatic liberals and impotent RINOs in Congress.&#8221;
The other two candidates running for the district are plumber Jeff Baker and state Rep. Houston Gaines. The Daily Wire reached out to both to ask for their position on abortion. 
Gaines <a href="https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/55445#17113">voted</a> for the heartbeat bill during his time in the legislature shortly after he flipped a state House seat back Republican. 
“As a Christian and a conservative, I&#8217;m proud to be pro-life and will always stand up for what&#8217;s right. When Democrats tried to threaten me, I stood strong and passed Georgia&#8217;s Heartbeat Bill,” Gaines told The Daily Wire. “While my opponent joined Hollywood to fight Georgia&#8217;s Heartbeat Bill with everything he had, we got it done. Georgia stands for life.”
Baker said he is &#8220;100% pro-life with exception to health of mother. Abortion in any other respect is murder and is against my Christian beliefs.&#8221;
&#8220;I would support a Constitutional Amendment that states life begins at conception,&#8221; he added.
Gaines has been endorsed by House GOP leaders like Reps. Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise, and Tom Emmer.
A debate for the GOP candidates is set for April 26.

MixCollage-06-Apr-2026-02-13-PM-6398

GOP Candidate Running As Hardcore Conservative Once Sided With Pro-Abortion Hollywood

Abortion

Brian Kemp

Congress

Georgia

Heartbeat bill

Pro-Life Movement

A voting rights group started by twice-failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams should be stripped of its tax-exempt status for “blatant disregard” of non-profit rules, a watchdog organization argued Tuesday. 
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a <a href="https://65db7681-e755-4cff-abe7-1d9e373df4db.usrfiles.com/ugd/65db76_5ed5e2641c3e44a5b6d9fb9eac79d12b.pdf">complaint</a> with the IRS, saying that Fair Fight Action should be investigated for bankrolling an expensive election lawsuit it argues was only for Abrams’s personal benefit. The complaint comes just months after another one of Abrams’s election non-profit organizations was penalized for illegally spending millions to back her campaign. 
The lawsuit in question, Fair Fight Action v. Raffensperger, challenged Georgia officials over various election integrity measures in place during Abrams’ 2018 race against Republican Brian Kemp. After several years of litigation, Fair Fight Action lost its case when an Obama-appointed judge <a href="https://cases.justia.com/federal/district-courts/georgia/gandce/1:2018cv05391/257857/916/0.pdf?ts=1664630826">ruled</a> that Georgia’s election laws were constitutional and did not violate the Voting Rights Act. 
During the suit, Fair Fight Action was represented by a law firm operated by Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, one of Abrams’s <a href="https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2025/06/05/friends_with_benefits_stacey_abrams_funneled_millions_to_her_lawyer_1114621.html">close friends</a>.
“The law is clear that organizations with tax-exempt status must operate for the public good, not for the personal benefit of one individual,” FACT Executive Director Kendra Arnold told The Daily Wire. “Fair Fight Action’s activities, including funding what appears to be a failed politically motivated lawsuit that paid millions to a close personal friend, demonstrate a blatant disregard for these rules.”
Over the course of five years, Fair Fight Action paid the firm of Lawrence-Hardy over $20 million, according to <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/471427359">tax filings</a>. Fair Fight Action paid the firm $3,062,292 in 2019, $6,363,615 in 2020, $4,441,206 in 2021, $5,034,464 in 2022, and $1,300,280 in 2023.
Arnold argues that Fair Fight Action launched its lawsuit solely for Abrams’s benefit. 
“After she lost her first election for governor of Georgia in 2018, Fair Fight Action engaged in what appeared to be political activity and brought a lawsuit challenging Abrams’ election loss,” Arnold wrote in a letter to the IRS obtained by The Daily Wire. “The organization has served as an arm of Abrams’ political campaigns, notably funding a lawsuit directly challenging her first campaign loss and serving as a bridge between her two runs for governor.”
Once described by the New York Times as a “fundraising powerhouse for Democrats,” Fair Fight Action has struggled in recent years. In January 2024, it was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/us/politics/fair-fight-layoffs-stacey-abrams.html">reported</a> that the group was cutting 75% of its staff and was millions of dollars in debt. 
“In essence, an organization interested in providing a ‘common good’ for the citizenry would not put its existence or efficacy at risk to benefit a single individual,” Arnold told The Daily Wire. 
In her letter, Arnold pointed to the New Georgia Project, another one of Abram’s linked voting organizations that has faced scrutiny. The organization, which Abrams founded in 2013, agreed to pay $300,000 after the State Ethics Commission <a href="https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000194-6ae1-d7e4-af9d-eaf5fa010000">found</a> that the organization likely violated state campaign finance laws by failing to report over $7 million spent in support of Abrams. 
Arnold wants the IRS to impose a financial penalty and revoke Fair Fight Action’s tax-exempt status if merited by an investigation. 
“The facts above certainly indicate that the sole motivation of Fair Fight Action and its conduct has been to benefit a few individuals — not the community as a whole,” she wrote.

Stacey Abrams In Conversation With Dr. Carla Hayden

Another Stacy Abrams Nonprofit Could Be In Trouble

Elections

Ethics

Stacey Abrams

Georgia Republican Rep. Mike Collins announced Monday his entrance into the Georgia Senate race, vowing to &#8220;steamroll the radical Left&#8221; and deliver on President Trump&#8217;s America First agenda.
The second-term congressman is challenging Senator Jon Ossoff, who narrowly won his first term in 2020 shortly after the January 6 riots, edging out GOP incumbent Sen. David Perdue in a runoff election. Ossoff is <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-ally-mike-collins-launch-key-battleground-state-bid-flip-democrat-held-senate-seat">seen</a> by many in the GOP as the most vulnerable Senate Democrat incumbent in 2026, as Trump carried the state in 2024, according to Fox News.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know who Jon Ossoff really works for, but it sure as heck isn&#8217;t Georgia,&#8221; Collins says in his campaign launch video posted on X. &#8220;Jon Ossoff does not represent Georgia&#8217;s values and has attacked our state&#8217;s best interests at every opportunity. He&#8217;s voted to raise taxes on Georgia families, supercharge inflation, open our Southern Border, and allow men to play women&#8217;s sports.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I&#8217;m in. <a href="https://t.co/Bxhm4e8jp2">pic.twitter.com/Bxhm4e8jp2</a>
— Mike Collins (@MikeCollinsGA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeCollinsGA/status/1949786569759482010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Collins, a prominent Georgia businessman elected to the House in 2022, is a close ally of President Trump and features audio of the president praising him in his launch video.
&#8220;Mike Collins. Mike, you were fantastic. He loves this state, and he took this very personally,&#8221; Trump says in the clip.
Collins highlights his work on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-signs-laken-riley-act-into-law">Laken Riley Act</a>, legislation that strengthens detention capabilities for federal officials dealing with undocumented immigrants charged with crimes like theft and burglary. The legislation was named after a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in February 2024.
The bill, which Collins sponsored, was the first piece of legislation Trump signed into law during his second term.
Collins, whose family owns a trucking company, promises to &#8220;send a trucker to the U.S. Senate to steamroll the radical left, deliver on President Trump&#8217;s America First agenda, and put the people of Georgia back in the driver&#8217;s seat.&#8221;
Collins enters an increasingly competitive Republican primary. Rep. Buddy Carter has already announced his candidacy, with both candidates <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5423594-gop-primary-georgia-senate/">courting</a> Trump&#8217;s endorsement, according to The Hill. Other candidates, such as former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, are also rumored to be considering a run.
Ossoff has been building a substantial war chest, reporting double-digit fundraising hauls over recent quarters, as he prepares for what will likely be one of the most closely watched Senate contests in 2026, alongside North Carolina, after former Governor Roy Cooper <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-former-gov-roy-cooper-runs-for-senate-turning-north-carolina-into-2026s-key-battleground?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Leftist+Former+Gov+Roy+Cooper+Runs+For+Senate%2C+Turning+North+Carolina+Into+2026%E2%80%99s+Key+Battleground">announced</a> his run on Monday.

WASHINGTON, DC – JAN 09: Representative Mike Collins speaks at

Pro-Trump Rep. Mike Collins Jumps Into Georgia Senate Race To Unseat Leftist Jon Ossoff

2026 Midterms

Jon Ossoff

Laken Riley

Mike Collins

Politics

Senate

Editor’s note: This is the fifth installment of a six-part series by pollster Brent Buchanan on the politics of the American South. Last week, Buchanan took a close look at North Carolina. Today, he dives into another swing state — Georgia — to tell the story of the South&#8217;s political crossroads.
We hope you enjoy.
—
Georgia isn’t just a battleground. It’s the South’s political crossroads, where more regional identities collide than anywhere else.
While some of the regions are too small to have an outsized influence on statewide races, their presence as a mixing agent within the more prominent regions cements Georgia’s unofficial status as the capital of the South – and the ultimate test for both parties.
Our analysis of Southern politics found that Georgia contains more of the South’s distinct regions than any other state. From a wall of “Trumpian Highlands” banding the northern border of the state, to pockets of hardened “Sweet Tea Suburbs” and a sprawling “Dixieland” with vestiges of the “Soulful South,” and a surprising emergence of “Republican Resettlers” encroaching up from Florida, pundits and politicos alike have their eyes on Georgia and especially its upcoming 2026 gubernatorial and Senate races.
“Georgia as a high-profile state is nothing new to politics,” said Nicholas Valdiviez, Cygnal’s Sampling Lead for this comprehensive analysis. “But when you look at the state through the lens of our unique regional analysis, Georgia has more complex regions at play than any other state, and in the context of the 2026 midterm elections, those complexities help explain the intrigue of unseating Senator Jon Ossoff (D) and holding onto the Governor’s mansion.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-919423" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Analysis-Map-525x576.png" alt="" width="525" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Analysis-Map-525x576.png 525w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Analysis-Map-273x300.png 273w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Analysis-Map.png 562w" sizes=" (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px" /></div>
It’s true that Georgia’s status as a swing state is almost exclusively driven by the fact that a still-deeply-red state is represented by two far-Left senators. It just so happens that it’s time for Ossoff to defend his seat (and abysmal record out of step with most of even purple Georgia) against an unknown Republican challenger, now that outgoing Republican Governor Brian Kemp (a longtime Cygnal client) has ruled out a run to unseat Ossoff.
<h3>A Complex Political Patchwork: The Peach State Defies Simple Labels.</h3>
Speaking about a possible Kemp Senate run, nationally syndicated radio host Erick Erickson noted that many governors-turned-senators find themselves unhappy in the world’s greatest deliberative body.
And Kemp understands — perhaps better than any other elected official in Georgia — that while the state’s political map might look like a simple red versus blue situation articulating an urban-rural divide, it’s actually a mosaic of regions with overlapping and rapidly changing political identities.
Take the so-called “Black Belt,” a region with high concentrations of Black voters, which delivers reliably Democratic margins in states like Alabama and Mississippi. In Georgia, the Black Belt runs from Columbus to Macon to Augusta — where it displays fewer characteristics of the monolithic voting bloc it used to be.
Today, this region is dominated by what we’ve dubbed “Dixieland” voters. Unlike other areas in the state — especially surrounding Atlanta, which have seen high-impact demographic swings — voters in Georgia’s Black Belt region now demonstrate voting patterns more akin to Dixieland, which is just over 15% African American, than ever before.
The demographics are the same, but the sentiment has changed. Dixieland voters have the highest propensity for weekly religious services of any group at 37%, and the lowest “not religious” population at 14%, combined with one of the highest rates of any of the regions who say the country is on the right track +21, and +35 support for Trump.
DATA NOTE: When we conducted this analysis, we fully expected the well-known Black Belt to emerge as a prominent visual feature on our Georgia map — but it didn’t — and, like many of the other elements covered in this <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/brent-buchanan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">series</a>, it further demonstrates just how dynamic and consequential the South has become to political power in the United States. 
Two additional trends are emerging in Georgia, both influenced by neighboring states, again proving the regionality of our analysis is shaping the South’s political map.
First, in the northern part of the state, where the Trumpian Highlands extend all the way down from Tennessee until they meet those <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beyond-the-swing-why-southern-suburbs-refuse-to-budge?author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Beyond+The+Swing%3A+Why+Southern+Suburbs+Refuse+To+Budge%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hardened “Sweet Tea Suburbs&#8221;</a> that surround Atlanta, with another small pocket around the state line near Chattanooga. This is where speculated senate candidate and firebrand Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene hails from, and all three of the congressional districts in that area are held by Republicans. These are some of the most Republican areas in the country, with Georgia’s 14th and 9th congressional districts voting for Trump by an imposing 68-31 and 67-33 margins, respectively.
As our data below indicate, before 2016, Republicans won in the Dixieland portions of Georgia by an average of 29%. But in the Trump Era, that margin rose to 39%. Notably, even with a minor dip in 2020, Dixieland recovered quickly for the 2024 cycle, shifting 4% back to the right from 2020, and up 3% compared to 2016.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-919425" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Pre-Post-Trump-Regional-Names.png" alt="" width="515" height="177" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Pre-Post-Trump-Regional-Names.png 515w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Pre-Post-Trump-Regional-Names-300x103.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 515px) 100vw, 515px" /></div>
Unlike Part IV of this series, where North Carolina’s divisions created a sort of mixing zone between east and west, the Trumpian Highlands of Georgia create a hard line between Atlanta’s suburbs. This makes some of the regional fluidity we see in other areas of the South less evident in Northern Georgia. Factor in those collar counties of Henry, Rockdale, Gwinnett, Cobb, and DeKalb surrounding Atlanta, and the political picture of north Georgia makes this part of the state less likely to produce surprises or statewide leaders.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-919431" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Broader-Stateline-View-CUT-2-470x576.png" alt="" width="470" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Broader-Stateline-View-CUT-2-470x576.png 470w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Broader-Stateline-View-CUT-2-245x300.png 245w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Cygnal-DW-Georgia-Broader-Stateline-View-CUT-2.png 508w" sizes=" (max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px" /></div>
Georgia has another political encroachment from its neighbor to the south, Florida. In our analysis, we identified “Republican Resettlers,” areas that have absorbed a significant influx of newcomers, many times from more liberal states, who are self-selecting for conservative communities. Unlike legacy Southern strongholds, Republican Resettlers’ political identity is shaped more by recent population movement and community choice than by deep historical roots. This growth in southeast Georgia, where we’ve seen Republican Resettlers’ encroachment, is mirrored in population increases in the mentioned areas from 2020 to 2022.
As Georgia remains an attractive place for many of these voters, our maps show this region, while not yet decisive, is quietly growing as conservatives migrate north along the coast toward places like Brunswick, Savannah, and even Valdosta. That’s a trend worth watching as the state’s population continues to surge.
“Nobody argues that Georgia is evolving politically, or that it’s a key state, especially with all the media attention surrounding Ossoff’s very vulnerable position,” said Valdiviez. “But what our analysis and maps show is a state that has both hardened lines of political division and zones of increasing transition. It proves that two things can be true in a marquee southern state: Georgia is prone to rigidity and it’s not immune to prevailing regional shifts.”
<h3>So What? Why The Patchwork Matters.</h3>
Georgia’s regional complexity isn’t just a curiosity for pollsters like us or casual and professional political junkies — it is a real-world challenge for campaigns and an absolute bellwether for the national parties — even if Ossoff is on the ropes for 2026. With so many overlapping and shifting identities, the Peach State forces both Democrats and Republicans to move beyond one-size-fits-all messaging.
The state’s “swing” status isn’t an accident. It’s a direct result of these dynamic, sometimes contradictory, regional trends. As flight from liberal states continues, even from other Republican states, and as the Republican Resettlers gain ground along Georgia&#8217;s coastal plains, the map will only get more complicated and more consequential.
With Kemp out of the 2026 Senate race, the race is on to determine who can unite enough of these regions to build a winning coalition. The GOP’s search for a candidate with true statewide appeal is wide open, while Democrats must defend ground in the face of a weak candidate, demographic churn, and voter fatigue. The lesson from Georgia is clear: turnout, connective messaging, and a Kemp-style understanding of local nuance are everything. Ignore the state’s patchwork at your peril.
<h3>The Battleground That Won’t Quit.</h3>
Georgia’s story is largely the South’s story.
It’s a state where no single region, candidate, or trend can guarantee victory. It’s a mix of hardened Republican strongholds, fast-growing Democratic suburbs, and emerging zones of transition, which means every election is up for grabs.
The Peach State’s political future will be decided not by national narratives or simple red-blue maps, but by the ability of campaigns to read the local landscape and adapt. In a nation increasingly defined by polarization and migration, Georgia stands as the ultimate test — and frankly, the ultimate prize for anyone hoping to shape the next era of American politics.
COMING UP NEXT: In Part VI, the final installment of our series, we’ll tie together the lessons from our analysis and offer a glimpse at what’s in store for the South and the nation as we head for the 2026 midterms. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-919429" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Full-Map-1.jpeg" alt="" width="670" height="407" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Full-Map-1.jpeg 670w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/Full-Map-1-300x182.jpeg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px" /></div>
READING THE MAP: When reading our map, keep in mind that we intentionally moved beyond traditional state lines to capture the true complexity of Southern politics. Each of the ten regions was named to reflect its unique cultural, demographic, and historical identity, whether it’s the steadfast conservatism of Dixieland, the dynamic growth of the Republican Resettlers, or the inelasticity of the Sweet Tea Suburbs.
These names aren’t just for color; they’re a practical tool for understanding how voter behavior clusters in ways that state boundaries simply can’t explain. We used a rigorous, data-driven approach combining ZIP-code-level analysis, weighted demographic variables, and historical voting trends to identify and define each region. The result is a map that highlights not just where voters are, but how and why they vote the way they do, offering a more actionable and nuanced guide for anyone looking to understand or influence the South’s evolving political landscape.

Ossoff and Warnock

What The Peach State’s Political Patchworks Mean For 2026 

Southern States

On Monday, Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp announced that he will not run to unseat Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) in the 2026 election.
Polls had shown Kemp, who is term-limited and cannot seek a third term as governor next year, <a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/ajc-poll-kemp-vs-ossoff-in-2026-dead-heat/6JCBHXBH2RELNETG33UH72QDQU/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">neck-and-neck</a> if not <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/5092146-kemp-ossoff-2026-senate-race/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ahead</a> of Ossoff in a prospective match-up. But Kemp said in a post on X that he would pass on a campaign despite being pushed to enter the contest by fellow Republicans.
&#8220;Over the last few weeks, I have had many conversations with friends, supporters, and leaders across the country who encouraged me to run for the US Senate in 2026. I greatly appreciate their support and prayers for our family,&#8221; Kemp shared. &#8220;After those discussions, I have decided that being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family.&#8221;
President Donald Trump has periodically <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leave-my-family-out-of-it-georgia-governor-brian-kemp-responds-to-trump-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> Kemp for matters related to the 2020 presidential election over the past several years. However, Kemp ended up <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/08/23/georgia-brian-kemp-donald-trump/74920067007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsing</a> Trump in the 2024 election. Trump even praised Kemp as <a href="https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/trump-praises-kemp-rga-meeting-jokes-about-governor-trudeau" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;fantastic&#8221;</a> back in February. Whatever their relationship may be now, Kemp said he conversed with Trump before making his announcement.
&#8220;I spoke with President Trump and Senate leadership earlier today and expressed my commitment to work alongside them to ensure we have a strong Republican nominee who can win next November, and ultimately be a conservative voice in the US Senate who will put hardworking Georgians first,&#8221; Kemp said. &#8220;I am confident we will be united in that important effort, and I look forward to electing the next generation of leaders up and down the ballot here in the Peach State who will keep our state and nation headed in the right direction in 2026 and beyond.&#8221;
Republicans currently have a 53-47 majority in the Senate. They also narrowly control the House.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), a group dedicated to electing GOP members to the upper chamber, shrugged off Kemp deciding not to run against Ossoff.
&#8220;While Jon Ossoff is running to impeach President Trump, Republicans have a number of strong candidates who can build a winning coalition to add this seat to President Trump’s Senate Majority,” <a href="https://x.com/maxpcohen/status/1919462365038297109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> NRSC spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez.
Other members of the GOP who are considering a run for Senate or are seen as potential contenders include Reps. <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/marjorie-taylor-greene-considering-2026-senate-or-gubernatorial-bid/1c19f66a-ef15-4cf5-9372-11137e79b079/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a> (R-GA), <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/the-georgia-vote/us-rep-buddy-carter-teases-senate-campaign/85-022a20a4-adeb-438c-8f27-b6a74c79021c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buddy Carter</a> (R-GA), <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/georgia-republicans-dont-rule-out-senate-bids-popular-gop-governor-remains-undecided" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rich McCormick</a> (R-GA), and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/georgia-republicans-dont-rule-out-senate-bids-popular-gop-governor-remains-undecided" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Collins</a> (R-GA), as well as Georgia Secretary of State <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/the-georgia-vote/georgia-secretary-brad-raffensperger-teases-2026-campaign/85-7e8f1370-147a-4136-9206-25ad37a5692d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brad Raffensperger</a>.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) also released a statement on Kemp neglecting to campaign for Ossoff&#8217;s Senate seat.
&#8220;Brian Kemp&#8217;s decision to not run for Senate in 2026 is yet another embarrassing Republican Senate recruitment failure as they face a building midterm backlash where every GOP candidate will be forced to answer for Trump’s harmful agenda,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/maevemcoyle/status/1919467569552994309" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> DSCC spokesperson Maeve Coyle. &#8220;Senate Republicans’ toxic agenda and recruitment failures put their majority at risk in 2026.&#8221;
Some in the political sphere have speculated that Kemp might compete for the presidency in 2028.
&#8220;I’ve never met a senator, who first was a governor, claim the senate was a good job. If anything, the former governors hate the place the most. If Kemp made one call to a former gov serving in the senate, I’m sure he was dissuaded. That said, might be worth adding Kemp to the WH ‘28 list,&#8221; journalist Chuck Todd <a href="https://x.com/chucktodd/status/1919461842486763886" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X.

Gov. Brian Kemp

Georgia Gov Brian Kemp Passes On Senate Bid Against Dem Incumbent Jon Ossoff

Republicans

U.S. Senate

A non-partisan ethics watchdog, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), has filed a complaint against Georgia Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff, accusing him of violating Senate ethics rules by directly linking official action to a request for campaign contributions.
FACT sent a<a href="https://65db7681-e755-4cff-abe7-1d9e373df4db.usrfiles.com/ugd/65db76_c14ec0e53bc2448e9a98a4a0e4c00122.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> letter</a> to Ethics Committee Chairman Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) and Vice-Chairman Chris Coons (D-DE) in which they stated:
<blockquote>
On March 14th, 2025, Senator Ossoff sent out an email that contained only two subjects: (1) that he planned to vote against a specific bill; and (2) a request for a campaign contribution. The email began with the statement, “I will vote ‘NO’ on the Trump/Musk/Johnson ‘CR.’” Following several statements about the bill, he then makes a direct request for a campaign contribution: “If you can afford it, please rush $5 to Jon Ossoff’s re-election campaign today. If you’ve stored your info with ActBlue, we’ll process your contribution instantly.” 
</blockquote>
“Senate Ethics Rules specifically prohibit Senators from soliciting campaign contributions based upon any action taken in their official capacity,” the letter continued. &#8220;By linking a promise of official action with campaign contributions, a Senator violates a ‘basic principle&#8217; of Senate Ethics that guards against conflicts of interest.”
“Voting on legislation is one of the primary jobs of a Senator, which simply cannot be tied to campaign fundraising. The ethics rules forbid certain practices in campaign fundraising, and linking it to official action is one that is simply not allowed–and for good reason. This fundraising tactic dangerously incentivizes Senators to take official action based on their estimation of what will raise the most campaign funds. Senators, who are nearly always raising campaign funds, will be rightly seen as making important official decisions based on what will bring in the most money—not on the merits of an issue,” said Kendra Arnold, Executive Director of FACT.
Ossoff won his seat in the Senate in 2021 in a run-off election after GOP candidate David Perdue defeated him in the November 2020 general election but narrowly missed getting 50% of the vote. His victory in the run-off election, along with Raphael Warnock’s win in another run-off, gave Georgia two Democratic U.S. senators and gave the Democrats a majority in the Senate. Ossoff is up for re-election in 2026, and there’s a good chance he will be opposed by Georgia’s enormously popular GOP governor, Brian Kemp.

Democratic Congressional Candidate In Georgia’s Special Election Jon Ossoff Campaigns In Georgia

Non-Partisan Watchdog Group Files Complaint Against Ossoff, Says He Violated Senate Ethics Rules

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/georgia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Georgia</a> Governor Brian Kemp released statements on Wednesday evening after four people were killed and nine more were injured during a tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia.
&#8220;Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.&#8221;
Kemp said in a statement that he and his family were &#8220;heartbroken&#8221; by the news.
&#8220;This is a day every parent dreads, and Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We continue to work closely with local, state, and federal partners to make any and all resources available to help this community on this incredibly difficult day and in the days to come.&#8221;
The school received a threatening phone call earlier in the day warning that the school would be the first target in a string of shootings aimed at five different schools. State law enforcement officials said that there were no shootings at other schools.
Authorities arrested a 14-year-old male suspect who they say will be charged with murder and will be tried as an adult.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said that school resource officers confronted the shooter, causing him to immediately surrender and be taken into custody.
President Joe Biden responded to the shooting by demanding that more gun control laws be passed and that semi-automatic firearms be banned and some firearm magazines be banned.
Democrat presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris said that these types of incidents needed to stop, but she remained vague and did not call for any kind of action.
&#8220;Today, Doug and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short by gun violence at Apalachee High School in Georgia,&#8221; Harris wrote on X. &#8220;Our hearts are with the students, teachers, and families impacted by this shooting, and we are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement on the scene.&#8221;
&#8220;This is a senseless tragedy — and it does not have to be this way,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;We must end the epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all.&#8221;

Donald Trump And Joe Biden Participate In First Presidential Debate

Trump, Kemp Release Statements Following Tragic Shooting At Georgia School

Crime

Donald Trump

School Shooting

U.S.

Republican presidential nominee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> buried the hatchet with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) this week after the two have repeatedly clashed at various points over the last few years.
&#8220;We got to win. We got to win from the top of the ticket on down,&#8221; Kemp told Fox News host Sean Hannity this week. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been saying consistently for a long time, we cannot afford another four years of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris. And I think, you know, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz would be even worse. So we need to send Donald Trump back to the White House. We need to retake the Senate. We need to hold the House. We need to hold our legislative majorities that we have in the great state of Georgia, and it takes hard work, that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ve been doing.&#8221;
Kemp said that his political operation has been hard at work in the ground game for nearly two months knocking on doors and focusing on getting high voter turnout.
&#8220;I just want to urge everybody out there, we cannot take this for granted,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We have got to get the vote out. We gotta stay focused. We gotta stay focused on the future. We need to do like you just did &#8230; continue to hammer Kamala Harris&#8217; record and the record of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and the other people that have been really for 12 of the last 16 years, punishing the American people.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724211156439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-L2DitSaIUj5wz8v0bgxx">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
&#8220;I know the Democrats have been talking about joy at the convention all week, and I feel like the joy is subsiding, and when the sugar high of the convention subsides, people are going to really start thinking, &#8216;It&#8217;s not so joyful when I look at my bank account; it&#8217;s not joyful when I can&#8217;t make my car payment or my rent payment, or I have to decide whether I&#8217;m going to buy gas or buy groceries,'&#8221; he continued. &#8220;People have not forgotten the disaster at the border and the millions and millions of illegal people that are in our country that are getting better benefits than some of our hard-working Georgians and hardworking Americans out there.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<a href="https://t.co/GNzvslrPms">pic.twitter.com/GNzvslrPms</a>
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianKempGA/status/1826820397175640094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
Trump responded to Kemp&#8217;s remarks by posting on X: &#8220;Thank you to @BrianKempGA for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country. I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you to <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianKempGA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrianKempGA</a> for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country.
I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1826800523280040166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2024</a></blockquote>

US-NEWS-TRUMP-LASVEGAS-LV

Trump Buries Hatchet With Republican Governor In Swing State

Kamala Harris

Tim Walz

Georgia Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/brian-kemp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian Kemp</a> 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&#8217;s attack on X.
&#8220;My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats &#8211; not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past.&#8221;
&#8220;You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats &#8211; 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. <a href="https://t.co/m8y6CSuZKY">pic.twitter.com/m8y6CSuZKY</a>
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianKempGA/status/1819851284343832838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
Kemp has endorsed Trump&#8217;s current presidential campaign, <a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/kemp-backs-trump-hed-be-better-than-joe-biden/2HOWX5XPFVBT7FHYI6YKHCU7KA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> that he will vote for the former president because &#8220;he’d be better than Joe Biden. It’s as simple as that.&#8221;
It&#8217;s not clear what set off Trump&#8217;s most recent round of attacks on Kemp. Kemp did not attend Trump&#8217;s rally in Atlanta on Saturday due to a prior commitment, according to <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/news/politics/atlanta-trump-rally-preview-jd-vance-brian-kemp-geoff-duncan/85-76168ee0-1069-461d-be50-45700d9dca95" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local media</a>.
&#8220;Brian Kemp should focus his efforts on fighting Crime, not fighting Unity and the Republican Party!&#8221; Trump posted on social media. &#8220;His Crime Rate in Georgia is terrible, his Crime Rate in Atlanta is the worst, and his Economy is average.&#8221;
While Atlanta&#8217;s crime rate is <a href="https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ga/atlanta/crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high</a>, Georgia&#8217;s overall crime rate <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/criminal-defense/crime-rate-by-state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranked</a> near the middle of the pack when compared to all other states. The state&#8217;s economy is <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/18/americas-10-best-state-economies.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranked</a> as one of the best in the nation.
&#8220;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,&#8221; Trump said.
<a href="http://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH THE TRAILER FOR &#8216;AM I RACIST?&#8217; — A MATT WALSH COMEDY ON DEI</a>
Trump did <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/20/us/politics/trump-endorsement-kemp.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">help</a> Kemp secure the nomination in 2018, and Kemp went on to <a href="https://www.politico.com/election-results/2018/georgia/governor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beat</a> 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 <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2022/05/24/kemp-easily-bests-trump-endorsed-former-sen-david-perdue-for-gop-governor-nod/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump-endorsed</a> candidate David Perdue and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/05/24/us/elections/results-georgia-governor.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won</a> by 51.9 percent, or 623,900 votes. Kemp faced Abrams again in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/11/08/us/elections/results-georgia-governor.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rematch</a> that year and won by 7.5 percent, or 297,899 votes.
&#8220;He and his wife didn’t think he could win,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;I said, &#8216;I’m telling you you’re going to win.&#8217; Then he won, he was happy, and his wife said, &#8216;Thank you, Sir, we’ll never be able to make it up to you!&#8217; Now she says she won’t Endorse me, and is going to &#8216;write in Brian Kemp’s name.&#8217; Well, I don’t want her Endorsement, and I don’t want his.&#8221;
Trump then appeared to blame the Kemps for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis&#8217; criminal prosecution of Trump and several others in Trump&#8217;s orbit for their alleged actions surrounding the 2020 presidential election and said that Kemp was &#8220;a bad guy.&#8221;

The 2024 Republican National Convention

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Responds To Trump Attacks

Georgia’s Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/brian-kemp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian Kemp</a> signed a law that will require jails to check the immigration status of inmates and collaborate with federal immigration officials.
The law, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/georgia-governor-signs-immigration-bill-months-uga-slaying-worrying-la-rcna150301">HB1105</a>, would threaten to strip funding from sheriff’s offices that refuse to work with federal immigration officials when they have individuals in their custody who appear to be in the country illegally.
Kemp said that the legislation &#8220;became one of our top priorities following the senseless death of Laken Riley at the hands of someone in this country illegally who had already been arrested even after crossing the border.&#8221;
&#8220;If you enter our country illegally and proceed to commit further crime in our communities, we will not allow your crimes to go unanswered,&#8221; the Republican Governor went on to add.
An illegal immigrant from Venezuela named Jose Ibarra was charged in the murder of 22 year-old Laken Riley after she was found dead in a wooded area near the University of Georgia in Athens. An autopsy found that Riley had died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, with the investigation also finding that Ibarra had dragged her body to a secluded location in an attempt to conceal his alleged crime. Ibarra’s charges included malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another.
Ibarra had previously been arrested in New York in 2022 and was charged with acting in a manner to injure a child younger than 17.
The new Georgia law comes amid an unprecedented crisis on the southern border, with immigration officials recording over 9.5 million <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/nationwide-encounters">nationwide encounters</a> and 1.7 million <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-may-have-lost-track-millions-of-migrants-crossing-southern-border-congressional-report">estimated illegal immigrant gotaways</a> since Joe Biden took office. There were only 445,000 total reported gotaways for 2018, 2019, and 2020 under the Trump administration.
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Other Republican states like Texas have also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-not-over-abbott-vows-to-defend-texas-authority-to-secure-the-border-after-scotus-sides-with-biden">taken action</a> to crack down on illegal immigration amidst the crisis.
A number of recent public opinion surveys have found that Americans are broadly critical of Biden’s handling of the border, with residents in blue states like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-colorado-voters-say-immigration-is-the-top-issue-as-2024-election-draws-closer">Colorado</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-massachusetts-voters-say-immigration-is-the-top-issue-facing-the-state">Massachusetts</a> naming immigration as the top issue facing their states. Another poll found that just <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-just-20-percent-of-voters-say-united-states-has-control-over-its-borders">20 percent</a> of voters across the country believe that the United States has control over its borders, while a separate survey revealed that only <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/voters-say-immigration-is-top-issue-facing-country-biden-faces-widespread-disapproval-on-immigration">36 percent</a> of voters approve of Biden’s handling of the critical election year issue.

Illegal Immigrants at Border

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Signs Bill Mandating Jailers Check Immigration Status Of Inmates

Illegal Immigration

Immigration

Georgia Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/brian-kemp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brian Kemp</a> slammed House Republicans on Tuesday who were trying to force House Speaker Mike Johnson out of his position, thus throwing the U.S. House of Representatives into chaos.
Kemp directed his remarks at Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who posted on X that he was supporting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene&#8217;s (R-GA) motion to vacate the speakership.
&#8220;I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I’m cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by @RepMTG,&#8221; Massie posted. &#8220;He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker.&#8221;
Kemp responded: &#8220;Instead of bickering amongst themselves and handing Democrats control of the House, Republicans should do their damn job and vote on the important issues facing our nation. Enough is enough. I support @SpeakerJohnson.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Instead of bickering amongst themselves and handing Democrats control of the House, Republicans should do their damn job and vote on the important issues facing our nation.
Enough is enough. I support <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a>. <a href="https://t.co/r429Zb1yyd">https://t.co/r429Zb1yyd</a>
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianKempGA/status/1780255204442509349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
The effort by Greene and Massie to oust Johnson comes after former President Donald Trump held a press conference with Johnson where he backed up the House Speaker.
Trump said at the event on Friday that Johnson was “doing a really good job under very tough circumstances,” adding: “I stand with the speaker, we’ve had a very good relationship.”
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“We’re getting along very well with the Speaker and I get along very well with Marjorie. We have a Speaker who was voted in and it was a complicated process … it’s not an easy situation for any Speaker,” Trump later added. “I think he’s doing a very good job, he’s doing about as good as you’re going to do and I’m sure that Marjorie understands that. She’s a very good friend of mine and I know she has a lot of respect for the speaker.”

GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Brian Kemp Holds Primary Night Election Event

Kemp Slams Republicans ‘Bickering Amongst Themselves’ In The U.S. House

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Mike Johnson

Thomas Massie

U.S. House of Representatives

Speaking on his show “The Lead,” CNN’s Jake Tapper accused Republicans of “obviously seizing” on the murder of a Georgia nursing student that was allegedly committed by an illegal immigrant so the GOP could attack President Joe Biden on his immigration policies.
The body of Laken Riley, 22, who had been jogging on the campus of the University of Georgia, was found last week. Police used footage from video cameras to track down Jose Ibarra, 26, a Venezuelan illegal immigrant who has been named a suspect in the case.
“Republicans obviously seizing on this horrific tragedy at the University of Georgia,” Tapper intoned. “This girl, this nursing student, killed by an undocumented Venezuelan migrant, and they&#8217;re seizing on this as an example of Biden&#8217;s failure to protect the American people, and to secure the border.”
Tapper turned to former President Trump’s response: “Today, President Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social, quote, &#8216;When I am your president, we will immediately seal the border, stop the invasion. And on day one, we will begin the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals in American history. May God bless Laken Riley and her family.&#8217; That&#8217;s the poor nursing student that was killed.”
“What&#8217;s your reaction to that?” Tapper asked political commentator Doug Heye.
Heye obliged Tapper by agreeing: “Well, first, obviously, it&#8217;s a tragedy and we should — we should recognize that before the politics enter this. But let&#8217;s not be naive. Politics enter these things very quickly. And Donald Trump knows how to take advantage of a situation like this and exploit it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CNN&#39;s Jake Tapper whines &quot;Republicans, obviously, seizing on this horrific tragedy at the University of Georgia.&quot; He admits the killer was an illegal but huffs: &quot;They&#39;re seizing on this as an example of Biden&#39;s failure to protect the American people and secure the border.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kKNHFhXVlZ">pic.twitter.com/kKNHFhXVlZ</a>
&mdash; Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1762232766953898003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump was not the only prominent Republican to show his anger at the murder; on Saturday, Georgia GOP Governor Brian Kemp fired off a letter to Biden regarding Riley’s death. He wrote:
<blockquote>
Dear Mr. President: As I have stated many times in the past, your actions and those of your administration have resulted in every state in the country experiencing the disastrous impacts of an unsecured U.S. southern border. More than nine million illegal immigrants have crossed the border since you took office — additional, unknown number of migrants who were not detained and processed — while at least 58 people on the terror watchlist have been encountered between ports of entry this fiscal year alone. Moreover, nearly two thousand pounds of fentanyl and five thousand pounds of methamphetamines were seized at the border in just the month of January. In addition to the serious national security implications of this crisis, the increased burden on state and local resources is not only unsustainable, it also presents a clear and present danger to our citizens and communities.
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Laken Riley&#39;s tragic death struck the hearts of Georgians everywhere and has sparked national outrage.
Joe Biden&#39;s failed policies have turned every state into a border state, and I&#39;m demanding information from him so we can protect our people when the federal government won’t! <a href="https://t.co/wsD4H6BSr6">pic.twitter.com/wsD4H6BSr6</a>
&mdash; Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovKemp/status/1761470345674903780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Also on Saturday, House Speaker Mike Johnson tweeted, “The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of illegal aliens that the Biden Administration simply released and unleashed upon our country. For Laken, and the countless many others lost to this border catastrophe, House Republicans will continue to fight tooth and nail for a return to law and order.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Every parent, and every American, is saddened—and outraged—to hear about the loss of University of Georgia student Laken Riley. Our prayers are with her family and friends as they mourn this tragedy. 
The brutal murderer who took the life of Laken was one of the millions of… <a href="https://t.co/rlNr9J6sU4">https://t.co/rlNr9J6sU4</a>
&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1761414113467437435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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CNN’s Jake Tapper in conversation with Bernie Sanders – 2018 SXSW Conference and Festivals

Jake Tapper Derides GOP: ‘Obviously Seizing’ On Laken Riley Murder To Attack Biden On Immigration

Jake Tapper

Joe Biden

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