McKoon would allow Raffensperger on GOP ticket despite disapproval
georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon stated that Secretary of State Brad raffensperger will be allowed to run for the 2026 ballot, despite party delegates expressing a desire to disqualify him due to his actions during the 2020 election, which angered loyalists of former President Donald Trump. McKoon emphasized the legal implications of denying Raffensperger ballot access, highlighting his fiduciary duty to the party. He mentioned the potential awkwardness of having a candidate without full party support, as a recent poll indicated that Raffensperger could be a strong contender in the upcoming Senate election. Despite the controversy, Raffensperger has hinted at his interest in a Senate run and intends to announce his plans in the coming months.
Georgia GOP chair would allow Raffensperger on Republican ticket despite delegate disapproval
Georgia Republican Party chairman Josh McKoon signaled on Tuesday that the party would allow Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on the 2026 ballot, saying to do otherwise would be of questionable legality.
Raffensperger is the center of a rift within the Georgia Republican Party, angering President Donald Trump’s loyalists with his actions surrounding the 2020 election. At a weekend Republican convention, delegates approved a resolution calling for party officials to disqualify Raffensperger from the Republican ticket. In an appearance on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Politically Georgia podcast, McKoon said he wouldn’t.
“I’m not going to put the Republican Party in the position of being sued over ballot access,” he said.
“Obviously, the delegates expressed their sense and what their desire is, and they have every right to,” McKoon added. “But I have a fiduciary responsibility to the Georgia Republican Party, and we’re not going to engage in those kinds of things.”
McKoon is a staunch Trump ally, going so far as to make Trump raising his fist after being shot at the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, his profile picture on X. Trump endorsed McKoon for his recent reelection as Georgia GOP chairman, saying, “HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
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A May poll found that Raffensperger was the strongest-performing Republican candidate in the 2026 Senate election, spreading alarm among the party’s loyalists. McKoon’s refusal to disqualify him could set up an awkward situation for the party, with its Senate nominee running without its full support.
Raffensperger has hinted at a Senate run but said he wouldn’t announce his plans for “a few months” in April. He told 11Alive in an April interview that he hoped the Republican Party put forward “a true conservative” for the 2026 races, and when asked what that looked like, he said, “I think you’re looking at him.”
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