Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) remains the favorite to win Georgia’s 2026 Senate election, but without having declared, other contenders are preparing themselves for a run.
While several Republicans have openly pushed for Kemp, a popular two-term governor, to challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) next year, others are setting the framework for a run if Kemp declines, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Kemp is not expected to make a decision about a Senate run until the end of the current legislative session on April 4.
Some of the names who could for the seat if Kemp declines include Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), Rich McCormick (R-GA), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), along with state Insurance Commissioner John King.
Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) told the outlet that he supports Kemp to be the nominee, but “if he takes a pass, I’ll talk with President Trump and see who he needs us to support to make sure he has another vote in the Senate.”
Greene previously said on the outlet’s Politically Georgia podcast that she is “considering all possibilities,” including a run for governor.
Kemp is term-limited and cannot seek a third term as governor in 2026, potentially making the open seat enticing to Republicans seeking a different statewide race.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who is the chairman of the GOP’s Senate campaign wing, told Semafor last month that Kemp is their No. 1 recruit, and that he is hoping the governor will seek the Senate seat.
Georgia is one of two states President Donald Trump won in 2024 that have Democrat-held Senate seats up for election in next year’s elections. Michigan will have an open seat after Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) said he would not seek reelection in 2026, giving Republicans another potential pick-up.
Ossoff won the seat in January 2021 after defeating then-Sen. David Perdue in a runoff election. Perdue finished ahead of Ossoff in the general election, 49.73%- 47.95%, but because he failed to hit the 50% threshold, the race went to a runoff, where Ossoff won 50.61%- 49.39%.
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Kemp has performed well ahead of most other GOP candidates in recent statewide elections, winning his 2022 gubernatorial race by more than 7.5%. Trump’s margin of victory in the 2024 election in the Peach State was only 2.2%.
The Georgia Senate race has been rated as a “toss up” by the Cook Political Report.