At a speech in Lexington, Virginia, Georgia’s Republican Governor Brian Kemp, once thought to be a potential rival to former President Trump in the 2024 race, offered his most direct criticism yet of the GOP frontrunner.
Results Over Personalities
“This election should be about results, not personalities … because if this general election becomes a debate about who can outlast the other 80 year-old politician, the American people will lose,” Kemp stated during a speech at Washington and Lee University’s Mock Convention in Lexington, Virginia.
Unspoken Trump Critique
Without specifically naming Trump, Kemp’s remarks at the convention — a quadrennial event that simulates a real presidential nominating convention for the party not in power — highlighted the importance for Republicans to present a constructive agenda to voters, rather than merely opposing President Joe Biden’s record.
Reviving GOP
“Our message to voters must be about what we’re going to do for the country if they give us the keys back to the White House,” he said to students.
Confronting Extremism
In his speech, the Governor of Georgia emphatically condemned political leaders who fail to confront their parties’ extremist factions, feeling ‘scared’ of potential backlash from prime-time programs on Fox News or MSNBC.
He added, “I’ve been there, folks, and I’ve lived to tell the tale. Because at the end of the day, this election is not about any one person, politician or political issue.”
Moving Past 2020
Kemp further encouraged his fellow Republicans to move past the 2020 election, which Trump continues to baselessly assert was stolen from him, despite assurances from election officials regarding the security of the votes.
Focus on Future Elections
He also emphasized the need to focus on the future rather than dwell on past elections, adding, “The fact is, the voters who will decide this race for the presidency are tired of hearing about 2020.”
New Stance
Despite declaring to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last year his support for Trump if he were the GOP nominee, as ‘a lot better than Biden,’ Kemp has since diverged from Trump regarding the 2020 election, affirming on Twitter that ‘The 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen.’
Legal Troubles in Georgia
Kemp’s remarks on Saturday are particularly poignant as Trump faces indictment in Fulton County, Georgia, for his actions contesting the 2020 election’s outcome.
The former President potentially faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on a racketeering charge linked to his efforts to reverse Joe Biden’s election win.
13 Charges Against Trump
The Georgia case brings a total of 13 charges against Trump, including allegations of making false statements, forgery, and soliciting a public offer to violate their oath.
Election Reversal Efforts
Following Trump’s attempts to overturn the election results in Georgia, both Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger were criticized by Trump and his supporters for not aiding in reversing Biden’s victory.
Trump’s Regrets
Trump expressed his regret on Fox News in late 2020 about endorsing Kemp, saying, ‘I’m ashamed that I endorsed him.’
Overcoming Trump-Endorsed Rival
In 2021, before two critical Georgia Senate runoff elections, Trump vowed to oppose Kemp in his 2022 re-election bid.
Kemp, having triumphed over a Trump-endorsed opponent in the 2022 primary, spoke to the audience on Saturday, following appearances by Donald Trump Jr., Texas GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt, and Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
A Call for Unity
Kemp and Youngkin have not given explicit endorsements to Trump for the GOP primary. However, in a call to action, Youngkin urged Virginia Republicans, who are set to vote on Super Tuesday, to unite.
A Vision for United GOP
He emphasized, “As Virginians express their choice on March the 5th, we must come together. As Americans across the country make their choice, we must come together. We must come together around a nominee with universal support in order to usher in a new era — not of Republicans versus Democrats, but of an unrivaled America,”
Only Mentioning Kemp
Notably, in his speech, Youngkin specifically acknowledged only Kemp, stating, “We agreed that we would serve. I know my friend Gov. Brian Kemp, who you will hear from later, would say the exact same thing.”
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