We said earlier that Secretary of State Brian Kemp would be playing to rural Georgia in the 2018 gubernatorial election, probably hoping to recreate Donald Trump’s path to victory in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. After rolling out his “Georgia First” campaign message, it looks like he is on to phase two on his plan: consolidate support from local officials. Today, he announced endorsements from over 50 county officials from mostly rural areas. The only populous metro Atlanta counties with endorsers are Gwinnett and Hall.
Kemp said the following in the announcement:
During my time as Secretary of State, I have traveled to all 159 counties to meet with local leaders and discuss ways to grow and strengthen their communities. I am absolutely honored to have many of these public servants join the campaign team and publicly endorse my candidacy.
As governor, I will work with local elected officials regardless of geography to ensure that their citizens have the opportunities and resources needed to thrive. By working together, we can ensure that Georgia’s best and most prosperous days are always ahead of us.
The full list of county officials is below the fold.
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