Former President Donald Trump is working to mend fences with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, one of the country's most popular Republican leaders, in an effort to unite the GOP ahead of the 2024 election.
The two Republicans have had a tumultuous relationship following the 2020 election, where Trump blamed Kemp for not backing his efforts to overturn Georgia's election results. Despite this history, Trump recently signaled his willingness to collaborate with Kemp to secure Georgia's 16 electoral votes in the upcoming election.
This change in tone was initially observed Thursday night on social media, where Trump refrained from his usual criticisms of Kemp. The shift comes just weeks after Trump criticized Kemp at a rally in Atlanta, causing concern among GOP leaders who see unity as essential for winning the state. Kemp responded by appearing on Fox News' Sean Hannity show, where he stressed the need for Republicans to set aside differences to prevent the Democratic Party from maintaining control of the White House.
“We gotta win,” Kemp emphasized during the interview. “We gotta win from the top of the ticket on down. We need to send Donald Trump back to the White House. We need to retake the Senate. We need to hold the House.”
Trump's earlier attacks on Kemp, who currently holds a 63% approval rating according to a recent poll, sparked outrage among Georgia Republicans. Many viewed these attacks as a threat to party unity in a state crucial for the GOP's chances in 2024.
Bobby Saparow, Kemp's former campaign manager, expressed confusion over Trump's strategy. “Attacking the popular governor of a pivotal swing state makes zero sense,” he told Politico. “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.”
Social conservative leader Cole Muzio echoed these sentiments, stressing that the stakes in the upcoming election are too high for infighting. “We have a national imperative to ensure that Kamala Harris is never POTUS,” Muzio tweeted. This isn't about one person, ticket, or party. It's about our country. That's why we have to be willing to hold high standards for Trump and the campaign on message and discipline. America is at stake.”
The most recent polling average from RealClearPolitics shows Trump leading Harris by a narrow margin of just 1% in Georgia, highlighting the critical role every vote will play in this battleground state.
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