At a rally in Atlanta on Saturday, former President Donald Trump once again criticized Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both Republicans, for their unwillingness to overturn Trump’s 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden in Georgia.
In response, the governor indicated that Trump should concentrate on winning in November and avoid “petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or lingering on the past.”
Prior to the rally, Trump lambasted Kemp, a well-liked Republican governor in a key swing state for GOP White House candidates, suggesting that the governor should be “fighting Crime, not fighting Unity and the Republican Party.”
Trump also took issue with Kemp’s wife, Marty, for her intention to write in her husband’s name for president in November rather than vote for Trump.
“Brad Raffensperger must fulfill his duties and ensure this Election is not stolen,” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. “Brian Kemp should channel his efforts into fighting Crime, not battling Unity and the Republican Party! His Crime Rate in Georgia is dreadful, the Crime Rate in Atlanta is the worst, and his Economy is mediocre.”
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Former President Donald Trump holds a rally in the historically Democratic South Bronx on May 23, 2024, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Kemp has consistently been recognized for Georgia’s robust economy during his tenure as governor, boasting an impressive 63% approval rating in a June poll by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The governor narrowly bested Democrat Stacey Abrams in the 2018 gubernatorial race after receiving Trump’s endorsement. In 2022, Kemp easily defeated Trump-backed former U.S. Senator David Perdue in the primary before winning over Abrams by seven and a half points in the general election rematch.
“He should be advocating for UNITY instead of Retribution, particularly against the individual who propelled him to his Nomination through Endorsement, without whom he would never have triumphed over Stacey Abrams,” Trump stated. “He and his wife doubted his chances of winning. I told him, ‘I’m convinced you will win.’ Then he won, he was elated, and his wife expressed, ‘Thank you, Sir, we can’t repay you!’ Now she claims she won’t support me and plans to ‘write in Brian Kemp’s name.’ Well, I don’t seek her Endorsement, and I don’t desire his.”
“They’re the ones who got Fani Willis and her boyfriend all ‘jazzed up’ and ready to act. He could have put an end to that absurdity with a phone call, but he opts not to because he’s a bad guy,” he added.
Trump referred to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, whose office is prosecuting Trump’s election interference case in Georgia, and her controversial relationship with Nathan Wade, a former prosecutor in the case who resigned earlier this year amid scrutiny over the relationship.
Kemp reacted to Trump’s remarks with a post on the social media platform X, stating: “My focus is on winning this November and protecting our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats—not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or reliving the past.”
“You should follow suit, Mr. President, and keep my family out of it,” Kemp remarked.
Raffensperger also addressed Trump’s assertions with a post of his own.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp looks on during the celebration honoring the Georgia Bulldogs national championship victory on Jan. 15, 2022, in Athens, Georgia. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
“Georgia’s elections are secure,” Raffensperger stated on X. “The winner in November will reflect the will of the people. History has shown that this kind of message doesn’t resonate well here in Georgia, sir.”
Kemp notably signed Georgia’s Election Integrity Act in 2021, requiring voter identification, extending early voting, and ensuring that every county would have a ballot drop box.
During the rally on Saturday, Trump unleashed a 10-minute tirade accusing Kemp of being accountable for his loss to Biden and for failing to prevent Willis from prosecuting the Georgia election interference case. Although a state commission has the authority to discipline and remove prosecutors for legal noncompliance after Kemp signed a bill into law, the governor does not possess the power to remove prosecutors directly.
“He’s a bad guy. He’s disloyal. And he’s a mediocre governor. Little Brian, little Brian Kemp. Bad guy,” Trump declared.
The former president continues to propagate erroneous claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
Biden won Georgia by 11,779 votes in 2020, and the former president pressured Raffensperger to “find” sufficient votes for him to claim victory. Trump and his affiliates also tried to present slates of false “electors” meant to replace the Democratic electors that Biden won.
Trump has since been indicted in Georgia for his efforts to overturn the election, though the case is currently on hold as the courts deliberate on whether Willis can proceed with the prosecution.
Kemp certified the electors that Biden won in 2020 and dismissed Trump allies’ attempts to replace them.
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Brian Kemp, governor of Georgia, speaks during an election night rally in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The governor has not endorsed any candidate in this year’s GOP primary but has confirmed he will support the Republican ticket in November, as Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris—now the presumptive Democratic nominee following Biden’s suspension of his re-election campaign—aim for victory in Georgia, which had consistently voted Republican since 1996 until Biden’s victory four years ago.
The Harris campaign had accurately predicted Trump’s rally statements would include a denial of the 2020 election results.
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Following the rally, the Harris campaign issued a statement from former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who served alongside Kemp during the governor’s first term.
“If you were able to decipher Donald Trump’s incoherence and vindictiveness tonight, you witnessed a Donald Trump who is indifferent to uniting this country or connecting with the voters who will decide this election,” Duncan expressed in the statement. “Millions of Americans are tired of his grievance-laden campaign that is solely focused on himself.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
