Kemp 2028
Why I Like Brian Kemp, Think He Kicks Ass, and Why You Should Like Him Too.
Brian Kemp is one of America's best governors. These days, it seems like fewer and fewer Republican candidates win elections, and those who do win and then go about delivering results have dwindled to a mere handful. Almost none of them dare to go head-to-head with Donald Trump, and those who defy him often face a humiliating defeat in a primary. Mr. Kemp took on Mr. Trump and has emerged unscathed and victorious.
Mr. Kemp has been a persona non grata within the Trump circle since 2020, when he first came to national prominence, clashing with the former president over his claim of a stolen election. “The 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen. For three years now, anyone with evidence of fraud has failed to come forward – under oath – and prove anything in a court of law,” Mr. Kemp tweeted, adding that “our elections in Georgia are secure, accessible, and fair and will continue to be as long as I am governor. The future of our country is at stake in 2024, and that must be our focus.”
Innocuous and refreshingly grounded in reality, Mr. Kemp’s refusal to help Mr. Trump overturn the election resulted in the former sentencing Mr. Kemp to a political execution. Republicans who question Mr. Trump don’t often survive another term. Mr. Trump recruited David Perdue, the former U.S. Senator from Georgia, who lost his reelection in 2020, to run against Mr. Kemp in the primary. This alone would have struck fear into the hearts of many; a Trump-backed primary challenge was enough to force moderate Republican Charlie Baker into forgoing another term in Massachusetts. Mr. Kemp chose to take Mr. Trump head-on.
And why not? Mr. Kemp is no ‘RINO’. He boasts a phenomenal conservative track record. He signed a constitutional carry bill and a law banning abortion after a heartbeat is detected. He cut taxes and oversaw extraordinary job growth. Georgia has the 16th lowest unemployment rate in the country, and it's projected that manufacturing jobs in the state will increase by 5.3% by 2028. During the draconian and arbitrary COVID lockdowns, Mr. Kemp took on both the Trump administration and the liberal press, becoming the first state to open. I noted in a previous article how Mr. Kemp stood firm during COVID;
When Brian Kemp opened his state early, as he recalled in an article for The Wall Street Journal, he faced fierce pushback from Mr. Trump.
"Look, the national media's all over me about letting you do this," the President stated, on a phone call with the Georgia Governor. "And they're saying you don't meet whatever."
Mr. Kemp replied that "You've been saying the whole pandemic you trust the governors because we're closest to the people. Just tell them you may not like what I'm doing...but I'll take the heat."
"Well, see what you can do," the president said. "Hair salons aren't essential and bowling alleys; tattoo parlors aren't essential.” This is even though a core tenet of the Republican Party has been to advocate and champion small businesses, not to write them off as 'unessential,' a point that was made by the governor.
"With all due respect, those are our people," Mr. Kemp said in reply. "They're the people that elected us. They're the people that are wondering who's fighting for them. We're fixin' to lose them over this because they're about to lose everything. They are not going to sit in their basement and lose everything they got over a virus.”
Mr. Kemp then took on the media again after passing one of the toughest election integrity bills in the country. The bill banned drop boxes, expanded in-person early voting, reinforced voter identification requirements, and increased staff and voting stations in areas prone to long lines. Mr. Kemp defended the bill, insisting, “In Georgia, it's easy to vote and hard to cheat.” Typically, the media and Democrats blew a gasket. President Biden baselessly labeled the bill as “Jim Crow in the 21st century,” and Scott Dworkin bemoaned in Newsweek that the law was “racist” and that “democracy will be over entirely in the state if last week's bill is still law.”
The law proved effective, with the state experiencing a significant surge in early voter turnout and reducing the average wait time to vote to just a few minutes. Rallying his donors and support from notable Republicans, such as Mike Pence and George. W. Bush, Kemp decisively won the primary, securing approximately three-quarters of the votes.
In the general election, Mr. Kemp was again challenged by Stacey Abrams, who, if she were not a Democrat, would be labeled an election denier and threat to democracy. In 2018, Ms. Abrams baselessly accused Mr. Kemp of voter suppression and repeatedly claimed that year’s election was rigged, saying, “We had this little election back in 2018. And despite the final tally, the inauguration, and the situation we find ourselves in, I have one very affirmative statement to make. We won.” Going toe-to-toe with MSNBC's favored liberal media darling would be an audacious effort, not to mention fending off Ms. Abram's considerable fundraising apparatus, outraising Mr. Kemp by $98 million to $70 million.
Mr. Kemp fought for every vote, whether venturing into affluent Buckhead or traversing rural Georgia and its jaw-dropping mountains. He rallied the troops and swayed hearts and minds. Though consistently leading the polls, Mr. Kemp's team remained focused and humble - maintaining momentum without complacency. Mr. Kemp ultimately won reelection by an impressive 300,000 votes, the largest raw vote victory for a Georgia governor since 2006, besting Abrams by seven-and-a-half points. Comparatively, the Trump-backed Herschel Walker underperformed in the Senate race, offering no vision of substance and gravitas but rather simply running on being Trump-approved.
Mr. Kemp has demonstrated courage, effectiveness, and a mastery of ‘the game’ that is politics. He has displayed his ability to engage voters, exploit opponents' vulnerabilities, and highlight his conservative record rather than mindlessly bending the knee to every whim and wish of Mr. Trump. Well into his second term, Mr. Kemp has wasted no time, now moving to deliver school choice, reiterating his intention to sign a school voucher measure, saying, “When it comes to getting school choice done in Georgia, there are no more next years.”
His no-nonsense brand of conservatism stands tall as a beacon of success, especially compared to the struggles of many of his fellow Republicans. His dutiful work does not go unnoticed. A recent CBS News/YouGov poll revealed that Mr. Kemp is one of, if not the, most popular governors in the United States.
CBS Poll: Gov. Brian Kemp Job Approval
Approve 68%
Disapprove 32%
—
Male: 70-30
Female: 67-33
White: 72-28
Black: 62-38
Moderate: 73-27
Dem: 55-45
GOP: 86-14
Indie: 62-38
Under 45 y/o: 72-28
White college graduates: 71-29
Any Republican politician who captures the admiration of 55% of Democrats, a striking 62% of Independents, is worthy of commendation. Even more compelling is his reception among demographic groups historically wary of backing Republicans, with 62% of Black voters approving, not to mention his approval rating with White college graduates, once the backbone of the Republican party, which dramatically rebuked Mr. Trump in 2020 - being the demographic arguably most responsible for his defeat.
The essence of Kemp's popularity lies not in his policies alone but in the manner of its advocacy. Georgia, a conservative state that rebukes Trumpism, obviously prefers Mr. Kemp's brand of Republicanism — pragmatic, unyielding on conservative principles yet distanced from the polarizing fervor of Mr. Trump and his narcissistic shenanigans.
Mr. Kemp's governance offers a blueprint for the GOP: a return to principles over personality, policy over polemic. And more importantly, winning. He provides the exact model the Republicans desperately need on the national level. Mr. Kemps' 2022 victory was fueled by suburban voters, women, and college graduates.
Achieving victory is essential. Yet, equally significant is the skill to transform electoral success into policy implementation and governance. The Republicans in Congress were handed a majority and have failed to deliver anything substantive for the American people, likely resulting in Democrats recapturing the House this Fall. In this regard, Mr. Kemp's track record is both a contrast and exemplary, positioning him as a distinguished leader with an unwavering dedication to policy crafting and execution.
A good president effectuates real change — passing legislation, cutting waste, and delivering much-needed reforms. Presently, we face the challenges of underperforming educational institutions, insolvent entitlement programs that threaten to bankrupt the country, and a broken immigration system that has allowed our southern border to be overwhelmed by illegal aliens. Not to mention a foreign policy that signals America’s withdrawal from the rest of the world and is bereft of any projection of strength.
Looking ahead to 2028, whether emerging from another term under President Biden's failed presidency or enduring another season of the Trump show, the imperative for leadership dedicated to tackling these issues is clear. Brian Kemp has consistently proven his ability to win and deliver on conservative values. He represents the ideal candidate for the presidency, with a focus on policy and a character of good morals and integrity that we require in the Oval Office.