Former Sen. David Perdue is seriously looking at making a Republican primary challenge against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Perdue is said to have already floated the idea to political donors and other allies. The newspaper attributed its information to eight unnamed sources.
Some of those sources said Perdue is still undecided about a possible run, while others maintained he’s leaning toward entering the race.
For his part, Perdue has declined to comment about a possible run. But the Journal noted he remains close to former President Donald Trump, who urged him to run during a September rally in Georgia.
The Hill reported that Trump asked Perdue during the rally: "Are you running for governor, David? Did I hear he’s running?"
Perdue lost his bid to remain in the Senate in January when he was defeated in a tight race against Democrat Jon Ossoff.
Meanwhile, Kemp has been the target of Trump's wrath, The Associated Press reported. But the former president hasn’t endorsed a challenger to Kemp.
The Journal noted Perdue’s appearances at recent grassroots events has played into speculation he would run for governor. Adding to that speculation, his allies have also leaked word of visits with Trump, including a two-day trip to Florida last weekend.
"There are always rumors," said a source close to Perdue. "The only thing that has changed is a whole lot of people are reaching out and asking David to run, and President Trump is of course very supportive of the idea."
Kemp’s campaign is staying tuned into the rumors of a possible Perdue run.
The governor’s campaign spokesman, Tate Mitchell, said Kemp and his wife, Marty, "proudly campaigned hard" for Perdue throughout the 2020 election cycle.
"Both the governor and the first lady were honored when Sen. Perdue told them personally that he would fully support their campaign for reelection earlier this year," he said.
Right now, Kemp is facing Republican challenges from several pro-Trump candidates. But the Journal noted none of them would present the threat that Perdue would pose.
The Hill pointed out no Democrat has entered the race. However, Stacey Abrams, the party’s 2018 nominee, is expected to run.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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