Kemp Officially Enters Governors Race
According the the AJC- Political Insider, Secretary of State Brian Kemp has officially announced his entry into the 2018 race for the Governor’s Office.
“As your governor, I will fight to make Georgia No. 1 for small business, treat all parts of our state – including rural Georgia – the same, work to fundamentally reform government and always put the needs of Georgians – not special interests – first,” he said. “It’s time to fight for Georgia and I am prepared to lead the charge.”
Additionally, he stated that his reason for seeking higher office is because
“I know how to put government in its place.”
The 53 year-old from Athens is the first candidate to formally declare his candidacy. Others considering the seat are former Reps. Jack Kingston and Lynn Westmoreland, House Speaker David Ralston and state Sens. Michael Williams, Hunter Hill and Josh McKoon.
According to the AJC,
Kemp’s early announcement is in part because he needs to start raising significant cash – and soon. He owns stakes in stone supply and construction businesses and has at least $3 million in land holdings, but he doesn’t have the immense wealth needed to finance his own campaign.
Kemp was appointed to his current position by then Governor Sonny Perdue in 2010 when Karen Handel resigned from the post to run for Governor. He has since been re-elected twice.
For now, it is uncertain if he will remain in office for the remainder of his term. Names being considered to replace Kemp in the interim are Gwinnett State Rep. Buzz Brockway (R), who has announced he will run for the seat, and the governor’s executive counsel, David Werner.
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Theresa Garcia Robertson
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That is going to be an ugly race. McKoon, Kemp, Cagle; all have some pretty serious attack bait on their resumes.
I’d like to ask Kemp what he means by fundamentally reforming government.
“treat all parts of our state – including rural Georgia – the same”
This part tells me he does not have a fundamental understanding of leadership. You can give equal attention but equal attention does not and should not mean treating the same. What works for rural GA is NOT going to necessarily work for urban/more populated areas of GA and vice versa. How the heck does he not know that enough to not make a stupid statement like this?!
He was already really low on my list (cause what a failure as SOS), but this strikes him right off!
The same? Does that mean state tax dollars on a per capita basis too? That’s a losing strategy if that’s supposed to woo rural Georgia since tax dollars have been flowing from metro Atlanta to rural Georgia for two decades. (To be clear, I’m not categorically opposed to that.)
Perhaps it means he’d expand Medicaid so rural areas can have hospitals, too.
Bless his heart.