Trump's feud with Georgia governor can affect election results in state
US presidential candidate Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
A public conflict has erupted between US presidential candidate Donald Trump and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. This dispute could influence the election results in this crucial state, reports Politico.
According to reports, Trump became enraged with his fellow party members early in 2024 after Kemp missed a fundraising event for the Republican candidate and a rally in Georgia.
Just days before, Kemp's wife, Marty, told a local journalist that she would prefer her husband as the US presidential candidate over voting for Trump.
Following this, the former president requested his aide on the plane to print a copy of the report. Trump described the comments from Georgia’s First Lady as horrible and asked others on the plane, including Michael Whatley (chair of the Republican National Committee), for advice on how to respond.
Trump’s allies, concerned that the feud with the popular, undecided governor could harm his campaign, urged him to refrain from commenting. Republicans in Georgia have been trying to ease the tension between Trump and Kemp ahead of the November election, including at a charity luncheon in Buckhead in April.
However, at a rally in early August, Trump did exactly what Republicans feared. The former president called Kemp a bad guy, a disloyal guy, and a very average governor. Trump also labeled Kemp as petty.
Politico writes that the former president’s revelations could mark a turning point in his campaign in this critical state.
Politico notes that Kemp not only oversees voter turnout efforts in Georgia but also has experience working with traditional Republicans and independent voters, whom Trump needs to win over in this swing state.
After the rally, even Trump’s advisors recognized that he had gone too far.
The Trump campaign was calling around to legislators … asking them to post positive things about the rally on social media and were being told, ‘No,’” said a Georgia GOP operative familiar with these private conversations.
Politico added that, as in other states, Trump has lost his commanding lead in public opinion polls in Georgia, especially after Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic presidential candidate.
US election
The US presidential election is scheduled for November 5 this year. The newly elected president and vice president will take office following the inauguration on January 20, 2025.
Earlier, it was reported that Kamala Harris is likely to participate in two rounds of televised debates with her opponent, Donald Trump. The first debate is set to take place on September 10 on ABC News.
