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The political team of former President Donald Trump and advisors to Republican Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia seem to be at odds when it comes to the Republican Senate primary in the key southeastern battleground state.
The Senate race is crucial for Republicans looking to expand their Senate majority, with Sen. Jon Ossoff being seen as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election in next year’s midterm elections in a state narrowly carried by Trump in the previous election.
Kemp, a popular two-term conservative governor who Trump had criticized heavily in the past, was approached by national Republicans to challenge Ossoff. However, Kemp, who is term-limited, announced earlier this year that he would not run for the Senate in 2026.
Sources in Trump’s political circle and Republican sources in Georgia have confirmed that there was an agreement between the president’s political operation and Kemp’s team to collaborate on finding a candidate to challenge Ossoff in the Senate race.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is interviewed by Fox News Digital at a Republican Governors Association meeting in Washington D.C. on Feb. 20, 2025. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
It has been confirmed that Kemp and Trump met two weeks ago to discuss the Senate race in Georgia.
However, when the governor suggested former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley as a potential candidate, Trump’s team advised them to hold off, as they were not ready to proceed with any candidate at that time.
Subsequently, when Kemp and his team moved forward with Dooley, it caused frustration among Trump’s advisors, who were already displeased that Kemp had declined earlier in the year to challenge Ossoff in the Senate race.
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“We had an agreement to collaborate,” a top source in Trump’s orbit stated. “Kemp acted independently, which has agitated the Trump circle.”
The source added, “Brian Kemp was and is the best choice for the GOP in Georgia. Unfortunately, he has chosen a different path, opting to support a lesser-known candidate whom the president has not even met.”
“The operation that secured victory in Georgia was Trump’s organization – not a superficial operation. It is difficult to see it supporting the ambitions of someone more focused on 2028 than on 2026,” the source continued, hinting at Kemp’s potential interest in the 2028 Republican presidential nomination.
Donald Trump shakes hands with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp after speaking at a temporary relief shelter as he visits areas impacted by Hurricane Helene, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in Evans, Georgia. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
However, a source close to the governor refuted claims that they were instructed to halt their support for Dooley.
The source emphasized that Kemp remains committed to working with the president and his team.
Kemp’s team first floated the idea of Dooley entering the race about two months ago. A veteran Republican strategist in Georgia noted that the response among Republicans in the state was largely negative.
Dooley, the son of former University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, has strong ties to Kemp, who is a longtime friend. Additionally, Dooley has enlisted the help of two prominent Kemp political advisers for his potential Senate campaign.
A decision from Dooley regarding his candidacy may come as soon as next week, according to a Republican source in Georgia.
Republican Rep. Mike Collins, a Trump supporter in the House, is set to announce his Senate candidacy next week, as per sources familiar with the matter.
Fox News has learned that Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia will launch a Senate campaign next week in the race against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. (Bill Clark)
Republican Rep. Buddy Carter and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King have also entered the Senate race, with King recently withdrawing his candidacy.
Trump and Kemp have a tumultuous political history, with Trump initially supporting Kemp during his successful 2018 gubernatorial campaign but later criticizing him for not overturning the election results in Georgia following the 2020 presidential election.
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As Dooley inches closer to launching his campaign, Collins is nearing the announcement of his candidacy. Collins, a businessman and congressman from Georgia, has been a vocal supporter of Trump and is known for his legislative efforts, including the Laken Riley Act.
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Collins is expected to run as an “America First” candidate aligned with Trump, while Carter is also seeking a Trump endorsement for the GOP primary.
