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u.s. news Diaranson 8 December 2021

Trump gets wish in Georgia, sparks ‘a political civil war’

(AP) — Less than a year path to power. Biden narrow-
after losing the presiden- ly defeated Trump here last
cy, Donald Trump has set fall and, after Trump falsely
out to reshape the GOP in claimed widespread election
his image across the na- fraud, Democrats seized vic-
tion’s top political battle- tory in two Senate runoff
grounds, sparking bitter elections in January that gave
primary battles that will them control of the Senate.
force candidates and vot-
ers to decide how much to Ever since, the former presi-
embrace Trump and his dent has battered the state of-
grievances. ficials who certified the elec-
tion results — Kemp chief
But nowhere is his quest among them — with an fierce
more consequential than torrent of political attacks.
Georgia.
Trump’s chief problem
Trump has inspired a slate with Kemp has little to do
of loyalists to seek statewide with substantive policy; he’s
office in the Southern swing working to oust the governor
state, and as of Monday, that simply because he refused
group included former Re- to support Trump’s fight to
publican Sen. David Perdue, overturn the 2020 election.
who formally launched a
challenge against Republican The former president called
Gov. Brian Kemp. The move Kemp “a very weak gover-
marked a rare, serious pri- nor” in a statement endors-
mary threat to a sitting gov- ing Perdue on Monday night,
ernor, bucking the wishes of citing nothing specific in his
GOP leaders in Washington opposition to the sitting gov- Perdue said he was running nasty and expensive GOP are remaining loyal to Kemp.
and ensuring months of Re- ernor save his position on first and foremost to stop primary, which could ulti-
publican infighting in a state “election integrity.” Abrams and an “unprec- mately cost tens of millions Anticipating a Trump-backed
where the party is trying to edented onslaught from the of dollars and drag Kemp to challenge from Perdue, the
restore its dominance. “Most importantly,” Trump woke left.” He also parrot- the right in a state that has Republican Governors As-
said of Kemp, “he can’t win ed Trump’s baseless claims moved to the center. So far, sociation vowed to support
“It is going to be a political because the MAGA base — about the 2020 election. Abrams has no primary chal- the incumbent Georgia gov-
civil war here in Georgia,” which is enormous — will lengers. ernor in addition to other
current Lt. Gov. Geoff Dun- never vote for him.” “We simply have to be unit- sitting Republican governors
can, a Republican and fre- ed,” said Perdue, who nar- “While David Perdue and who have drawn Trump’s ire,
quent Trump critic who is Trump also boosted Republi- rowly lost his Senate seat in Brian Kemp fight each other, including Idaho Gov. Brad
not running for reelection, can former football star Her- January. “Unfortunately, to- Stacey Abrams will be fight- Little. In helping Republican
told The Associated Press. schel Walker in the GOP’s day we are divided, and Brian ing for the people of Geor- incumbents, however, RGA
“It’s all avoidable if we just push to unseat Democratic Kemp and Brad Raffensperg- gia,” Abrams top aide Lauren Chairman Doug Ducey, the
act like adults and move on. Sen. Raphael Warnock, bet- er are to blame.” Groh-Wargo wrote on Twit- Arizona governor, said his or-
But that’s not reality at this ting on an untested and un- ter. ganization would not attack
point.” vetted professional athlete in Meanwhile, a furious Kemp Trump’s slate of challengers.
a Republican primary against promised an all-out brawl. The governor’s race reflects
It’s not just Georgia. state Agriculture Commis- Kemp spokesman Cody Hall GOP divisions playing out “The RGA follows the 11th
sioner Gary Black. He is also dubbed Perdue “the man across Republican communi- Commandment,” Ducey said
Tension between Trump and backing like-minded candi- who lost Republicans the ties this year. at the group’s recent gather-
what’s left of the Republican dates in Republican prima- United States Senate” and ing in his state. “We do not
establishment is defining pri- ries for lieutenant governor blamed the ousted senator for In Georgia, pro-Trump ac- speak ill of another Republi-
maries for Senate and gov- and secretary of state, where a list of complaints including tivists angered by his defeat can.”
ernor across dozens of states current Secretary of State inflation, high government have flooded local Republi-
— including Arizona, Mas- Brad Raffensperger is fight- spending and cancel culture. can Party meetings, seizing But Republicans on the
sachusetts, North Carolina, ing for his political survival. control of the party machin- ground in Georgia are not
Ohio and Pennsylvania — The Georgians First Leader- ery while dumping some likely to play so nice.
months before the first bal- Nationwide, Trump has en- ship Committee, a Kemp- metro-Atlanta county offi-
lots are cast next spring and dorsed more than 60 midterm aligned group that can raise cials deemed insufficiently Georgia Republican Party
summer. With President Joe candidates so far, including unlimited contributions, also pro-Trump. official Randy Evans, who
Biden’s approval numbers several running against Re- attacked Perdue just hours served as Trump’s ambassa-
sagging, political headwinds publican incumbents. after his announcement in a David Shafer, the state party dor to Luxembourg, argued
from Washington suggest fundraising email, seizing on chairman, has maintained a that Kemp may be so unpop-
that Republicans could make Trump’s intervention in the the former senator’s busi- pro-Trump line. ular with the Trump base that
major political gains in 2022 Georgia governor’s race is a ness record and stock trades he will lose to Abrams even if
— if the GOP can get out of nightmare scenario of sorts while in office. Democratic Criticized for speaking at he survives the primary.
its own way. for some Republican strate- Sen. Jon Ossoff used similar Trump’s September rally
gists, who were already gear- criticism to defeat Perdue in where Trump joined his slate “If the party comes together,
Trump’s interest in a third ing up for a difficult gen- January’s Senate contest. of endorsed candidates, Sha- Perdue will be the nominee
presidential bid in 2024 en- eral election contest against fer on Sunday told The As- and then he’ll go on to be
sures he will be the face of former state lawmaker and “This crooked insider and sociated Press that the party governor,” Evans said. “And if
the Republican Party for the Democratic voting rights ac- ‘America Last’ loser is DES- would be neutral in contested the party comes apart, which
foreseeable future. tivist Stacey Abrams, who PERATE to claw his way primaries and said he hoped if the bitterness and divisive-
narrowly lost to Kemp in back into political relevance,” Republican candidates “will ness continues with this kind
Look no further for a cau- 2018. Abrams formally an- the committee wrote in a focus on their own strengths of rhetoric, then Kemp will
tionary tale than Georgia, an nounced her candidacy last fundraising email. and how they can assemble a be the nominee and Stacey
evolving swing state where week. winning coalition.” will be the governor.”
demographic shifts of recent Republicans in Washington
years have given Democrats a In his announcement video, and beyond prepared for a National Republican leaders