{"id":2614504,"date":"2026-06-16T06:23:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-16T10:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-and-kemp-split-in-georgia-gop-runoff-battles\/"},"modified":"2026-06-16T06:29:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T10:29:05","slug":"trump-and-kemp-split-in-georgia-gop-runoff-battles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-and-kemp-split-in-georgia-gop-runoff-battles\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump and Kemp split in Georgia GOP runoff battles"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/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%2Ftrump-and-kemp-split-in-georgia-gop-runoff-battles%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=2614504&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>President Donald Trump and Georgia Governor brian Kemp are both active in the state&#8217;s Republican runoff elections, supporting the same gubernatorial candidate while backing different contenders for the Senate race.This reflects a complex and evolving relationship, with a longstanding political feud between Trump and Kemp that has influenced Georgia Republican politics for years, despite their continued influence within the party. Trump previously boosted Kemp&#8217;s 2018 gubernatorial campaign but later criticized him over the 2020 election certification and publicly backed Kemp&#8217;s primary challenger in 2022, though they appear to have realigned somewhat for the upcoming races.<\/p>\n<p>In the current Senate race, Trump is supporting Rep. Mike Collins, a staunch Trump ally, whereas Kemp and his supporters endorse former football coach Derek Dooley, who campaigned as a broader party candidate. The governor\u2019s race is highly competitive, with Lt. Gov. burt Jones, a Trump supporter, and businessman rick jackson, who has spent over $100 million and adopted more aggressive tactics, running a fierce contest. Kemp ultimately endorsed Jones to favor the candidate he believed had the strongest chance to win in the general election.<\/p>\n<p>The elections are characterized by low turnout risks and intense <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-to-lead-biden-campaign-counterprogramming-to-republican-debate\/\" title=\"Newsom to spearhead Biden campaign&#039;s counterprogramming against Republican debate.\">voter mobilization efforts<\/a>,with campaigns emphasizing turnout over persuasion. Polls show close races with uncertainty about which Republican voters will turn out, making the results unpredictable.Both Trump and Kemp remain highly popular, and the outcome is viewed as a vital test of whether Trump\u2019s MAGA movement or Kemp\u2019s established political machinery will have greater influence in Georgia, a critical battleground state for the 2024 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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> and Georgia <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/brian-kemp\/\">Gov. Brian Kemp<\/a> enter Tuesday\u2019s Republican runoff elections as both allies and rivals, backing the same candidate in the governor\u2019s race while at odds in a closely watched Senate showdown that will test the competing power centers inside the Georgia <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\">GOP<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The overlapping endorsements highlight the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/is-turkeys-future-in-nato-an-asset-or-liability\/\" title=\"Is Turkey\u2019s Future in NATO an Asset or Liability?\">increasingly complicated relationship<\/a> between Trump and Kemp, whose long-running political feud has loomed over Georgia Republican politics for much of the last decade, even as both remain dominant forces within the party.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4609543\/dan-sullivan-same-name-alaska-senate-ineligible\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Dan Sullivan\u2019s challenger with same name ruled ineligible for Senate primary<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4604445\/republicans-midterm-convention-trump\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Republicans build midterm convention around Trump to bolster turnout<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4608184\/trump-endorses-mike-collins-georgia-senate-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump endorses Mike Collins in Georgia Senate race ahead of GOP runoff<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump elevated Kemp during the 2018 gubernatorial race with a late endorsement that helped him secure the Republican nomination, but the alliance unraveled after Kemp refused to intervene in Georgia\u2019s certification of the 2020 presidential election following Trump\u2019s loss in the state. Trump later backed former Sen. David Perdue\u2019s failed 2022 primary challenge against Kemp and continued publicly criticizing the governor throughout much of that cycle before softening his rhetoric again during the 2024 campaign.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump over the weekend undercut Kemp\u2019s Senate pick of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4575556\/georgia-senate-race-collins-dooley-results-ossoff\/\">former football coach Derek Dooley<\/a> by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4608184\/trump-endorses-mike-collins-georgia-senate-race\/\">backing<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4608184\/trump-endorses-mike-collins-georgia-senate-race\/\">Rep. Mike Collins<\/a> (R-GA). Meanwhile, Trump and Kemp are aligned in the governor\u2019s race, where both are now supporting <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/watch\/2671412\/\">Lt. Gov. Burt Jones <\/a>over businessman <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4575306\/trump-burt-jones-rick-jackson-runoff-georgia-gop-governor-race\/?utm_source=BREAKING%20%7C%20Trump-backed%20Burt%20Jones%20and%20Rick%20Jackson%20head%20to%20Georgia%20GOP%20governor%20runoff_05%2F19%2F2026&#038;utm_medium=email&#038;utm_campaign=WEX_Breaking%20News&#038;rid=63&#038;env=15ba1a1ff4bcb81153665d5aa6e0fd7c08ddfa3bae124e8876d99aaf8335d06d\">Rick Jackson<\/a> in one of the most expensive and bitter Republican gubernatorial primaries in Georgia history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jones, a longtime Trump ally and Georgia\u2019s lieutenant governor, entered the runoff as the establishment favorite after securing Trump\u2019s endorsement nearly a year ago and locking down support from many of the state\u2019s top Republican officials. Jackson, a wealthy businessman running as an outsider candidate, dramatically reshaped the race after launching a late bid and pouring more than $100 million of his personal fortune into the contest while attempting to position himself as the more committed MAGA candidate. Jones finished first in the primary last month with 38% of the vote, while Jackson earned 32%.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kemp allies were also frustrated by some of Jackson\u2019s campaign tactics,<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4594789\/rick-jackson-brian-kemp-praise-new-georgia-governor-ad\/\"> including advertising that implied Kemp\u2019s support <\/a>despite the governor remaining publicly neutral for months. It was also not lost on many in Georgia Republican circles that several of Jackson\u2019s top strategists previously orchestrated Perdue\u2019s failed 2022 primary challenge against Kemp.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kemp ultimately endorsed Jones in the final stretch of the runoff, arguing he was the strongest Republican candidate to face Democratic nominee Keisha <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/keisha-lance-bottoms\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"21322\">Lance Bottoms<\/a> in November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve said all along my whole goal during this whole primary and runoff season was to make sure that we win in November, keep our state moving in the right direction, because the alternative of Keisha Lance Bottoms to that is just unacceptable,\u201d Kemp said during a Monday press conference.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, some Georgia Republicans reject the idea that the Senate runoff has become a straightforward proxy war between the two leaders.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPeople want to make this like a Trump versus Kemp war because that makes for good headlines, but I don\u2019t think Georgia voters see it that way,\u201d Republican strategist Ryan Mahoney told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cThey\u2019re aligned on one race and they\u2019re on different sides on the other end, and that\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahoney argued the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >split endorsements reflect differing candidate preferences<\/a> more than a full-scale political feud, noting that both Trump and Kemp remain enormously popular among Georgia Republicans despite years of public clashes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moreover, the pair is aligned on the state\u2019s more marquee race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The governor\u2019s race has largely overshadowed the Senate contest in recent weeks, according to several Republican operatives, as Jackson\u2019s massive spending barrage dominated television and digital advertising across the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is taking over everything,\u201d one Republican consultant said of the governor\u2019s race, speaking on the condition of anonymity, adding that the Senate contest \u201calmost never comes up\u201d in conversations with voters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even so, Republicans said Dooley appears to have gained momentum in recent weeks after campaigning aggressively alongside Kemp across the state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI do get the sense that Dooley is moving,\u201d another anonymous Republican operative said, pointing to Kemp\u2019s efforts to campaign with him across Georgia in the final stretch of the runoff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The runoff elections are also unfolding under conditions that could produce unusually low turnout, forcing both campaigns to focus intensely on voter mobilization efforts rather than persuasion. Georgia Republicans have repeatedly noted the difficulty of motivating voters to return to the polls only weeks after the initial primary, particularly during the summer heat and vacation season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe can talk about these races, and we can read the news and see all the millions of dollars spent on TV, but at the end of the day, people need to wake up tomorrow between the hours of seven and seven and actually go and cast a ballot,\u201d Mahoney said. \u201cIt\u2019s 95 degrees here, and kids are going to swim team, and people are going on vacation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahoney said turnout operations could ultimately matter more than endorsements or television advertising in determining the races\u2019 outcomes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt the end of the day, it\u2019s going to come down to which campaign was able to target effectively and turn out their likely voters,\u201d Mahoney said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The uncertainty surrounding turnout has also complicated polling in both contests, particularly because operatives remain unsure which segments of Republican voters will actually return for the runoff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s basically a coin flip going into election day,\u201d Mahoney said,<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PollTracker2024\/status\/2066320491774697668?s=20\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doocy-to-kjp-why-do-you-think-americans-are-so-down-on-president-biden-right-now\/\" title=\"Doocy asks KJP: &quot;Why do you think Americans are critical of ... Biden?\">referencing recent polling<\/a><\/a> that showed both races within the margin of error.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Collins has pitched himself as the unapologetic Trump ally in the race, arguing Republicans want a fighter closely tied to the president and highlighting his work on immigration legislation, including the Laken Riley Act. Dooley, meanwhile, has campaigned as a candidate better suited to expand the party\u2019s coalition in a competitive general election while pairing that message with proposals such as congressional term limits and a ban on stock trading by lawmakers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The runoff has also exposed broader Republican frustrations about how long the Senate primary dragged on while Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) continues to build a substantial fundraising advantage ahead of the general election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s not a good reason why this thing has dragged out for a year only to end up right where it was a year ago,\u201d one Republican strategist said, arguing the extended primary left Republicans politically vulnerable heading into the fall campaign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahoney also argued the outcome of Tuesday\u2019s runoff is unlikely to fundamentally alter either Trump\u2019s or Kemp\u2019s standing inside the Georgia GOP, regardless of which candidates ultimately prevail.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBrian Kemp and Donald Trump are still going to be wildly popular, and people are still going to want those endorsements,\u201d Mahoney said. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to impact that at all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4608622\/brian-kemp-backs-burt-jones-tight-georgia-gubernatorial-race\/\"><strong>KEMP BACKS BURT JONES IN TIGHT GEORGIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE, ALIGNING LAST-MINUTE DECISION WITH TRUMP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mahoney specifically pointed to Kemp\u2019s enduring popularity with Georgia Republicans, arguing the governor\u2019s political operation remains one of the strongest forces in state politics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPeople in this state love their governor,\u201d Mahoney said. \u201cHe\u2019ll go down as the most popular governor in history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tuesday\u2019s results will not only determine Republicans\u2019 nominees for governor and Senate, but could also provide an early test of whether Trump\u2019s MAGA movement or Kemp\u2019s well-established statewide machine is better positioned to drive turnout, shape Republican politics in Georgia, and possibly chart the party\u2019s path forward in one of the nation\u2019s most important battleground states.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump and Kemp&#8217;s complex Georgia GOP rivalry<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2614505,"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\/2026\/06\/image-collage-sjnlqo89h-1781578898788-e1781579109324.jpg?1781564698&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[38168,50691,9062,3634],"class_list":["post-2614504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-georgia-gop","tag-kemp-2","tag-runoff","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-sjnlqo89h-1781578898788-e1781579109324.jpg?1781564698&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2614504","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\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2614504"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2614504\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2614508,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2614504\/revisions\/2614508"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2614505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2614504"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2614504"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2614504"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}