Brian Kemp Wins Republican Runoff For Georgia Governor

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp scores an easy win against Casey Cagle, Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor. According to the New York Times, though Cagle had been the “preferred candidate,” Kemp had been endorsed by President Donald Trump. Now, Kemp will face off against Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams, who had been the House Minority leader for the Georgia General Assembly.

Many Georgia residents were put off by Kemp’s campaign ads, which were a “series of provocative ads that evoked President Trump’s incendiary politics.” The ads featured the native Georgian often holding a gun, detailing his conservative views. The following is an ad that aired in May.

“I’m Brian Kemp. I’m so conservative, I blow up government spending. I own guns, and no one’s taking ’em away. My chainsaw’s ready to rip up some regulation. I got a big truck, just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take ’em home myself. Yep, I just said that. I’m Brian Kemp. If you want a politically incorrect conservative, that’s me.”

Kemp’s victory comes at a time when the state of Georgia is in flux; Atlanta’s decision to elect Democrat Keisha Lance-Bottoms, the city’s second female mayor, shows a city looking to lean-in to its progressiveness. But, Kemp’s victory will be the true test as to whether the country’s number one state to do business in “prefers a Trump-style conservative or a progressive black woman.”

“This is the state of Georgia: We are a red state. And for that matter, we don’t need the radical left telling us how to live, worship and raise our family,” said Kemp in his victory speech Tuesday night.

Kemp’s victory also comes after a series of recordings released in June in which Cagle spoke ill of primary voters and openly admitted to “having backed bad public policy in order to keep a school-choice lobby group from supporting his opponent.” According to the New Yorker, Cagle was unaware of the recording, but that didn’t stop his lead from shrinking. President Trump’s endorsement and a visit from Vice President Mike Pence at a recent rally likely contributed to Kemp’s win.

Kemp touts himself as a believer in “religious freedom,” a proponent of the second amendment, and a man who drives an F-150 “just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take them home myself.” He has already started his tactics against Abrams, saying she’s an “out-of-touch radical liberal” who doesn’t care about the average Georgian.