At an election-eve rally for Brian Kemp, backers of the Georgia governor said Donald Trump is their 'top choice' for 2024
- At a GOP rally in suburban Atlanta's Cobb County, there was widespread support for Gov. Brian Kemp.
- Many of those same voters said they want to see Donald Trump in the White House again.
KENNESAW, Georgia — GOP Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday celebrated what he said were enduring accomplishments of his administration as he made the case for reelection against his opponent, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams, with just one day to go before the election.
During a rally in Cobb County, a pivotal suburban Atlanta locality where Republicans in recent years have seen their political advantage falter amidst a growing Democratic-trending electorate, Kemp went through a long list of conservative priorities that he'd pursued while in office, from tax cuts to opposing some of the most draconian coronavirus policies enacted by other states.
"We were one of the first states to start kids back in-person and get them out virtual learning," Kemp said during his remarks, where he touted his economic record and sharply criticized both Abrams and President Joe Biden. "We have the most people working ever in the history of the state."
Kemp became a national figure after his first gubernatorial contest against Abrams in 2018 and once again after he refused to entertain then-President Donald Trump's entreaties to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. He also overcame Trump's ire about the Georgia results to swamp his gubernatorial primary opponent — ex-Sen. David Perdue — this past May.
Trump also went after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger over his refusal to reject Georgia's election results in 2020, seeking to replace him as the GOP nominee with Rep. Jody Hice. However, despite the endorsement, Raffensperger trounced Hice in the May primary and was a featured speaker at Monday's pre-election rally.
Despite Trump's frustration at Kemp over the 2020 election, several voters at the governor's rally stood in favor of his tenure in office, while simultaneously expressing support for the former president should he decide to run in 2024, which appears to be an increasingly likely prospect.
Rally attendee John Morjera told Insider that Kemp paid attention to public safety and inflation in a way that was broadly appealing, adding that the governor made "a wise decision" in reopening the economy earlier than many other states. Also, he said, Kemp temporarily suspending the state gas tax and raising the teachers' pay were great moves.
In Morjera's view, the governor has already earned another four years in office, but when it came to the 2024 presidential campaign, he was all in for a third Trump presidential campaign.
"President Trump is still my top pick for the next presidential election," Morjera told Insider. "I'm open to other candidates, but he's my top choice."
Ursula Magy, another attendee, said she was unsure about 2024, as the next election seems far away at this point — but she was supportive of the conservative policies pursued by Kemp.
After Kemp spoke at the rally, Donna Wexon told Insider that she liked his anti-abortion stance and believed his policies were "good for the economy."
She was yet another "yes" when it came to Trump pursuing a White House bid agai.
"I would support Donald Trump running for president again. I think he had excellent policies that helped keep our country productive and we were respected in the world," she said.