{"id":2431291,"date":"2025-05-06T07:10:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T11:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-braces-for-bruising-ga-senate-primary-with-plan-b-hopefuls-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-05-06T07:12:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T11:12:07","slug":"gop-braces-for-bruising-ga-senate-primary-with-plan-b-hopefuls-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-braces-for-bruising-ga-senate-primary-with-plan-b-hopefuls-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP braces for bruising GA Senate primary with \u2018Plan B\u2019 hopefuls &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-braces-for-bruising-ga-senate-primary-with-plan-b-hopefuls-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2431291&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Republicans in Georgia are preparing for a competitive Senate primary as they seek a challenger for incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. The recent decision by Governor Brian Kemp to not enter the race has created a sense of urgency among GOP leaders, who had seen Kemp as a strong candidate. His <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >exit sparked concerns<\/a> within the party about the quality of potential candidates, particularly Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whose controversial reputation could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/buzz-about-buttigieg-as-2024-candidate-overlooks-his-far-left-agenda-analysts-say\/\" title=\"Buzz About Buttigieg as 2024 ... Overlooks His Far-Left Agenda, Analysts Say\">alienate moderate voters<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With Kemp bowing out, interest has shifted to other possible contenders including several members of the House of Representatives and state officials like Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. GOP leaders, while expressing disappointment over Kemp&#8217;s decision, remain optimistic about finding a suitable candidate to challenge Ossoff.<\/p>\n<p>the Democratic campaign has interpreted Kemp&#8217;s decision as a significant blow to Republican ambitions, particularly highlighting his absence as a failure in recruitment. Polling suggests that while Kemp might have had a fighting chance against Ossoff, other hopefuls like Greene are less favorable as they represent more extreme viewpoints. GOP strategists emphasize the need for a strategic candidate who can appeal to a broader electorate rather than just energize the party base.<\/p>\n<p>the Republican primary is shaping up to be contentious, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nancy-mace-admits-she-needs-help-defeating-puppet-primary-opponent-picked-by-loser-mccarthy\/\" title=\"Nancy Mace seeks assistance to overcome primary opponent chosen by McCarthy\">party members rally<\/a> around the need to present a viable challenger capable of reclaiming the seat in a state that has leaned more purple in recent elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Georgia Republicans brace for bruising Senate primary with &lsquo;Plan B&rsquo; hopefuls<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1776978\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Republicans are gearing up for what is likely to be a brutal battle to select a GOP challenger for Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jon-ossoff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Jon Ossoff\">Jon Ossoff<\/a> (D-GA) next year in one of Democrats&rsquo; most vulnerable seats.<\/p>\n<p>The decision by Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3401293\/brian-kemp-bows-out-2026-georgia-senate-race-ossoff\/\">bow out of consideration<\/a> Monday allowed Democrats to take a victory lap, as it dashed Republican hopes stretching from the Peach State to the nation&rsquo;s capital of having a star recruit. The focus quickly turned to other possible GOP challengers, including one that national Republicans behind the scenes particularly want to avoid: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3401127\/jared-golden-challenge-maine-former-governor-purple-district\/\">Jared Golden faces challenge from Maine&rsquo;s former GOP governor in purple district<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3399551\/gen-z-lawmakers-build-trump-youth-vote-success\/\">Gen Z lawmakers plot ways to build on Trump&#8217;s youth vote success<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3398709\/house-leadership-delays-major-budget-hearings-white-house-meeting\/\">House leadership delays major budget hearings after White House meeting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Obviously, we&rsquo;re disappointed about [Kemp]. He, of course, would have been a great candidate,&rdquo; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said. &ldquo;That race is going to be competitive either way, and the good news is there&rsquo;s a lot of interest.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Thune, prompted if Greene could win a statewide contest amid concerns in the party that her firebrand style of politics could be a liability with swing voters, offered little reassurance of her candidate quality.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know the answer to that. Obviously, that&rsquo;s up to the people of Georgia,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But I know there are several in the House delegation over there that are expressing interest and some other statewides too.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The bench of possible contenders now that Kemp, a popular second-term governor, cleared the way is deep and extends well beyond Greene, the MAGA loyalist who frequently grabs headlines. Other possible hopefuls include Reps. Mike Collins (R-GA), Rick Allen (R-GA), Rich McCormick (R-GA), and Brian Jack (R-GA), Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Insurance Commissioner John King, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.<\/p>\n<p>There was little surprise to Kemp&rsquo;s decision from those familiar with Georgia GOP politics who saw him as having nominal interest in the gig, even as he was lobbied by top Republican senators.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;To Republicans nationally: don&rsquo;t give up on us,&rdquo; Brian Robinson, a Georgia-based GOP strategist who worked for Kemp&rsquo;s predecessor, former Georgia GOP Gov. Nathan Deal, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t get Plan A, but Plan B is going to probably be OK. We just need the party primary electorate to act and vote strategically. Who can beat John Ossoff? It&rsquo;s not necessarily going to be the person who gets the party faithful on their feet, acting and hooting and hollering.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats were quick to label the recruiting blunder an early boost for Ossoff, the first-term, purple-state senator who ousted former GOP Sen. David Perdue in 2020 by just 1.2 percentage points. Ossoff is the only Democrat up for reelection in the Senate whose state Trump won.<\/p>\n<p>Senate Democrats&rsquo; campaign arm labeled Kemp&rsquo;s decision &ldquo;yet another embarrassing Republican Senate recruitment failure,&rdquo; while the Ossoff campaign said the GOP will be forced to &ldquo;scramble in the aftermath.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Senate Republicans&rsquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/slotkin-to-snub-biden-detroit-visit-amid-heated-senate-race-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Slotkin to snub Biden Detroit visit amid heated ... race - ...\">campaign arm sought<\/a> to project optimism that its chances to turn the seat back to red were alive and well. It whacked Ossoff for leaning into rhetoric that President Donald Trump has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3391801\/jon-ossoff-trump-impeachment-exceeded-any-prior-standard\/\">committed impeachable acts<\/a> in his second term.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) arrives before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo\/Alex Brandon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;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&rsquo;s Senate majority,&rdquo; said Joanna Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Kemp is but the latest current or former governor with national name recognition to decline a Senate run in their home state, joining the likes of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) and former New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu. Meanwhile, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) is looking to leave Washington with a run for governor as Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) weigh their own possible gubernatorial campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>Recent <em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/bluestein\/status\/1919471748711657533\">Atlanta Journal-Constitution polling<\/a><\/em>  showed Kemp with the strongest odds among Republicans of unseating Ossoff. Kemp bested Ossoff 49-46% in a hypothetical matchup. Greene, King, and Raffensperger lost by at least 9 points or more. Greene polled the lowest against Ossoff, with 37% to his 54%.<\/p>\n<p>Trump could also sway the race, should he choose to put his thumb on the scale with an endorsement. Greene has a close relationship with him, and Jack is being encouraged by Trump to run, according to a source familiar with the race.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3224765\/senate-democrats-hope-midterms-2024-downballot\/\"><strong>SENATE DEMOCRATS SEE HOPE FOR MIDTERMS WITH 2024 DOWNBALLOT RESULTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Whoever it is, the Republicans have got to be strategic,&rdquo; Robinson said, adding that the GOP can&rsquo;t make the mistakes of 2022 and &ldquo;put forward a candidate that couldn&rsquo;t win, that wasn&rsquo;t serious.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) narrowly bested Republican nominee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/3393761\/vacant-us-ambassadorship-may-finally-get-filled-herschel-walker-bahamas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Hershel Walker\">Herschel Walker<\/a> in a 2022 special election, with many in the GOP pointing to Walker&rsquo;s scandal-ridden campaign as the culprit for failing to retake the seat.<\/p>\n<p><em>David Sivak and Samantha-Jo Roth contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1776978\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1776978\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Georgia Republicans prepare for tough Senate primary after Kemp&#8217;s exit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3108,"featured_media":2431292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mtg-georgia-senate-run.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[6571,4977,6203,38507,32075],"class_list":["post-2431291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-elections","tag-georgia","tag-gop","tag-plan-b","tag-senate-primary"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mtg-georgia-senate-run.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2431291"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2431295,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431291\/revisions\/2431295"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2431292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2431291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2431291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2431291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}