Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday that he will not run for Senate next year, dealing a blow to Republican hopes of defeating incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Kemp, 61, had been widely regarded as the most formidable potential Republican candidate, having polled ahead of Ossoff (D-Ga.) in some surveys.
“I have decided that being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family,” Kemp said in a statement on X.
“I spoke with President Trump and Senate leadership earlier today and expressed my commitment to work alongside them to ensure we have a strong Republican nominee who can win next November, and ultimately be a conservative voice in the US Senate.”
Kemp, who is term-limited, was narrowly elected governor in 2018, defeating Democrat Stacey Abrams by 1.4 percentage points. Four years later, Kemp won the rematch over Abrams by a relatively comfortable 7.5 percentage points.
Republicans lost both of Georgia’s Senate seats in a pair of 2021 runoff elections, and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) won a full term the following year by defeating Trump-endorsed former football star Herschel Walker.
Ossoff, 38, is widely regarded as the most vulnerable Democrat defending their Senate seat in 2026 — with Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Gary Peters of Michigan and Tina Smith of Minnesota retiring rather than face potentially tough re-election battles.
With Kemp opting not to run, the likely GOP primary field could consist of no fewer than four current members of Congress — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rep. Buddy Carter, Rep. Mike Collins, and Rep. Rich McCormick.
Other potential candidates include state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, and Insurance Commissioner John King.
“I am confident we will be united in that important effort, and I look forward to electing the next generation of leaders up and down the ballot here in the Peach State who will keep our state and nation headed in the right direction in 2026 and beyond,” Kemp said in his statement.
“While Jon Ossoff is running to impeach President Trump, Republicans have a number of strong candidates who can build a winning coalition to add this seat to President Trump’s Senate Majority,” National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez said in a statement.
Kemp is not the only current or former GOP governor to decline a Senate run this cycle, as former New Hampshire chief executive Chris Sununu opted not to seek Shaheen’s seat.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but are defending 22 of the 35 seats up for grabs in 2026, with incumbents Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina expected to face tough re-election fights.
