Kemp responds to Trump’s attacks: ‘My focus is on winning this November’

Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) responded to former President Donald Trump‘s criticisms of the Georgia governor and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger while the former president was in the Peach State on Saturday.

Trump called out Kemp and Raffensperger in a post on Truth Social prior to his Atlanta rally — where he echoed the criticisms stemming from his disproven claims of voter fraud in the state in the 2020 election and crime.

“Brad Raffensperger has to do his job, and make sure this Election is not stolen. Brian Kemp should focus his efforts on fighting Crime, not fighting Unity and the Republican Party! His Crime Rate in Georgia is terrible, his Crime Rate in Atlanta is the worst, and his Economy is average. He should be seeking UNITY, not Retribution, especially against the man that got him the Nomination through Endorsement and, without whom, he could never have beaten Stacey Abrams,” Trump said.

“He and his wife didn’t think he could win. I said, “I’m telling you you’re going to win.” Then he won, he was happy, and his wife said, “Thank you Sir, we’ll never be able to make it up to you!” Now she says she won’t Endorse me, and is going to “write in Brian Kemp’s name.” Well, I don’t want her Endorsement, and I don’t want his. They’re the ones who got Fani Willis and her boyfriend all “jazzed up” and ready to go. He could have ended that travesty with a phone call, but he doesn’t want to end it because he’s a bad guy….” he continued.

Trump endorsed Kemp in the 2018 gubernatorial election, where he narrowly defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams, but endorsed former Sen. David Perdue in the 2022 Republican primary against Kemp. In the primary and the general election in the 2022 gubernatorial election, Kemp would go on to win.

Kemp responded to Trump’s post by telling the former president to focus on winning the November election and to “leave my family out of it.”

My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats – not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past.

You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it. pic.twitter.com/m8y6CSuZKY

— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) August 3, 2024

“My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats – not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past. You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it,” Kemp said.

Republican Georgia state House Speaker Jon Burns defended Kemp in a post on Saturday, saying that “The Georgia House has been proud to work alongside him.”

The move by Trump to criticize the widely popular governor has puzzled some Republicans.

“I’m sitting here scratching my head,” Republican strategist and former campaign manager to Kemp, Bobby Saparow, told Politico. “Attacking the popular governor of a pivotal swing state makes zero sense. If we want to actually unite, ask for the support of the guy who beat your endorsed primary opponent by 52 points and handily defeated Stacey Abrams.”

In a January poll conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kemp’s popularity in the state was at 62%.