Trump team 'pissed off' with Kemp over candidate pick in Georgia's Senate GOP primary battle
The race is crucial for Republicans aiming to expand their Senate majority, as Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is running for re-election in a state that Trump narrowly carried in last year's election, is viewed by the GOP as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election in next year's midterm elections.
Kemp, a popular two-term conservative governor whom Trump had heavily criticized in the past, was courted by national Republicans to take on Ossoff. But Kemp, who is term-limited, announced earlier this year that he would pass on a 2026 Senate run.
Sources in Trump's political orbit and Republican sources in Georgia confirm to Fox News that there was an agreement between the president's political operation and Kemp's political team that they would work together to find a candidate that they could all unify behind to take on Ossoff in the Senate race.
First On Fox: Trump House Ally To Launch Senate Bid Next Week In Key Battleground State
Those sources also confirm that Kemp and Trump – the ultimate kingmaker in GOP politics – met two weeks ago to discuss the Senate race in Georgia.
Read On The Fox News App
But when the governor floated the name of former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, a source close to the president's political team said "they were told to stand down, because Trump's team wasn't ready to move forward on anybody."
And when Kemp and his team did move forward with Dooley, it upset Trump's advisers, who, according to sources, were "already pretty annoyed" that Kemp had passed earlier this year on taking on Ossoff in the Senate race.
Popular Gop Governor Passes On Senate Bid In 2026
"We had a deal to work together," a top political source in the Trump orbit told Fox News on Friday. "Kemp went out on his own – which has frustrated and pissed off Trump orbit."
The source added that "the best option for the GOP in Georgia was and is Brian Kemp. Unfortunately, he has chosen the path of the weak, and – instead of leading – has decided to circumvent and self-anoint a candidate no one has heard of and the president hasn't met."
"The operation that delivered the win in Georgia was the Trump organization – not a faux operation – it's hard to see it rallying behind the blind ambition of someone more interested in 2028 than in 2026," the source said, in a not-so-veiled reference to Kemp's potential interest in seeking the 2028 Republican presidential nomination.
But a source close to the governor told Fox News that it's factually not true that they were told to stand down on Dooley.
And the source added that Kemp meant what he said that he wants to work with the president and his team and remains that way.
Kemp's political team first floated the Dooley trial balloon about two months ago. A longtime Georgia-based Republican strategist said the reaction in the Peach State among Republicans "was very negative."
Dooley, who is the son of former longtime University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, is close with Kemp, who is a longtime friend.
And Dooley has hired two top Kemp political advisers to help with his potential Senate campaign.
A Republican source in Georgia says a decision by Dooley on whether he'll run could come as early as next week.
Republican Rep. Mike Collins, a Trump ally and supporter in the House, will announce his candidacy for the Senate next week, sources with knowledge told Fox News Digital on Friday.
Republican Rep. Buddy Carter, who for a decade has represented a district in coastal Georgia, launched a Senate campaign in the spring.
Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King also announced a run, but ended his bid on Thursday.
Trump and Kemp have a turbulent political history.
Trump backed the then-Georgia secretary of state in his successful 2018 campaign for governor.
But during the two years after his 2020 election defeat to former President Joe Biden, which included a razor-thin loss in Georgia, Trump attacked Kemp for failing to overturn the election results in his state.
Trump toned down the criticism in 2022 after Kemp crushed Trump-backed former Sen. David Perdue in the state's GOP gubernatorial primary, as Kemp successfully cruised to re-election to a second term as governor.
Kemp Speaks Out After Trump Flips And Praises The Georgia Governor
But last summer, amid the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump went on a 10-minute tirade against Kemp at a rally in Atlanta just blocks from the Georgia State Capitol. Trump blamed the governor not only for failing to overturn the 2020 vote count but also for not stopping a county prosecutor from indicting the former president for his attempts to reverse the results.
Trump quickly changed his tune on Kemp days later, and praised the governor in a social media post "for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country."
Kemp, in a Fox News Digital interview a few days later, downplayed Trump's tirade against him, calling it a "small distraction that's in the past."
As Dooley moves closer to launching a campaign, Collins is just days from declaring his candidacy.
Collins, a businessman who founded a trucking company, is in his second term representing Georgia's 10th Congressional District, which includes a large swath of urban, suburban, and rural areas between Atlanta and Augusta.
The conservative lawmaker, who's the son of the late Republican Rep. Mac Collins of Georgia, has been moving closer to launching a Senate campaign for weeks.
Collins was an early backer of the president, supporting him as Trump first ran for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2016 cycle.
Collins at the beginning of this year reintroduced the Laken Riley Act, which mandates that undocumented immigrants charged with burglary or theft be detained. It's named after a Georgia nursing student killed by a man who had illegally entered the U.S. The case grabbed national attention.
The bill, which quickly passed the Republican-controlled House and Senate, became the first legislation signed into law by Trump as he started his second tour of duty in the White House.
A Republican source said that Collins has a "great relationship" with the president and his political team.
And a Georgia-based Republican consultant told Fox News that "the lane that Mike is going to run in is the America First fighter who's been with President Trump.
Carter is also courting a Trump endorsement in the GOP primary.Original article source: Trump team 'pissed off' with Kemp over candidate pick in Georgia's Senate GOP primary battle
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NBC News
27 minutes ago
- NBC News
Russia claims capture of Ukrainian stronghold Chasiv Yar; Kyiv denies loss
Russia claimed Thursday to have captured a key Ukrainian town after more than 16 months of intense fighting, while unleashing a deadly seven-hour drone assault on Kyiv that offered no hint of agreeing to President Donald Trump's demands to end its war. One Ukrainian military spokesman denied Moscow's claims that it had captured Chasiv Yar, saying Russian troops had only raised their flag over a part of the strategically important town they had occupied months ago. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced its capture in a short statement, another sign the Kremlin shows little appetite for the ceasefire that Trump has demanded. On Tuesday, Trump — whose historical warmth toward Putin has chilled significantly in recent weeks — said that he would start imposing tariffs and other measures on Moscow if it did not agree to a peace plan in 10 days. While Russia was declaring victory in Chasiv Yar, it was launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukrainian civilians in Kyiv. It fired at least 308 drones and eight cruise missiles, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Most of these were shot down, but more than two dozen struck their target, it said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least six people had been killed, including a 6-year-old boy. 'Today, the world again saw Russia's response to our desire for peace with America and Europe: new demonstrative killings,' he said in his nightly address. He said that 'peace without strength is impossible' — reiterating his war-long mantra that Ukraine needs more arms 'to force Moscow to peace' and 'to make them sit at a real negotiating table.' Ukraine denies key town has fallen With a pre-war population of just 12,000, Chasiv Yar today lies in ruins following more than a year of attritional warfare between the Russian invaders and Ukraine. Its significance owes to its key position en route to key "fortress" cities in the Donetsk region, including Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Victor Trygubov, spokesman for Ukraine's troops in the Khortytsia region, denied that Russia had made the key gain. "As usual, they once again raised a flag at the occupied part of the town, which they took about a half year ago," he said, while spreading "false information information that they control all of the town." It was not immediately possible to independently verify either sides' statements. NBC News has visited Chasiv Yar several times before, including in Feb. 2024 when its remaining residents expressed their frustration at what they saw as an insufficient amount of aid being contributed by the West. One piece of graffiti in the town read: 'We are not asking too much. We just need artillery shells and aviation. Rest we do ourselves," signed: "Armed Forces of Ukraine.' Ukrainians do not see this as charity: For them, and many of their supporters in the United States and Europe, Ukraine's fight against Russia is synonymous with the wider struggle to contain President Vladimir Putin's anti-Western aggression. 'During the last two years I got used to keeping my emotions inside, but sometimes you just want to scream,' the town's mayor, Serhiy Chaus, said back then of his frustrations at this perceived insufficient support.


CNN
30 minutes ago
- CNN
US support for Israel's actions in Gaza drops, as Democratic opposition grows and MAGA movement splits
The Middle East Israel-Hamas war Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow Americans' support for Israel's military actions in Gaza is dropping rapidly, prompting pro-Israel Democrats and some of President Donald Trump's long-time allies to warn that the country could permanently damage its standing in the United States. A Gallup poll released this week found that just 32% of US adults support Israel's military actions in Gaza — a record low since the war was launched in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attack. The poll also found the strongest partisan split yet: Support among those who identify themselves as Republicans remained strong, at 71%. But just 8% of Democrats and 25% of independents say they back Israel's military actions. In perhaps the most ominous long-term sign for backers of Israel, the poll found just 9% support for its actions among those age 18-34 of all political parties. The shift in public opinion has crucial implications for both parties: Some key members of Trump's MAGA movement are vocally questioning whether the United States should keep supporting Israel, while plummeting backing for the country among Democrats will likely impact the party's primaries in key races in 2026 and 2028. The collapse in American support for Israel is part of a global trend. The United Kingdom said this week it would recognize a Palestinian state before the United Nations General Assembly unless Israel takes major steps to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The announcement followed France's decision to do so. United Nations agencies are warning that 'time is running out to mount a full-scale humanitarian response' in the besieged Gaza Strip. Data show that more than one in three people (39%) are now going days at a time without eating, the UN's World Food Programme said in a statement Wednesday, adding that over 500,000 people — almost a quarter of Gaza's population — 'are enduring famine-like conditions.' Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat who co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, told CNN that Israel is losing the battle for worldwide public opinion. He said Israel's military faces serious challenges in Gaza, where Hamas is willing to incur massive civilian casualties 'to undermine Israel's position in the world,' but said its objectives 'have to be balanced against each other.' 'Israel has to determine, what are its military objectives, and what casualties is it willing to incur to realize that national security includes your image around the world,' Sherman said. 'You can't get everything you want, and your worldwide image is important.' Within the GOP, fissures over Israel's actions came into public view after Trump on Monday disputed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's weekend assertion that there is 'no starvation in Gaza.' 'That's real starvation stuff,' Trump said. 'I see it, and you can't fake that. So, we're going to be even more involved.' Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent figure in Trump's 'Make America Great Again' movement, appeared to become the first Republican in Congress to describe the crisis in Gaza as a 'genocide' with a Monday night social media post. 'It's the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct 7th in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza,' Greene said. Her comment came in a longer post criticizing Florida GOP Rep. Randy Fine, a staunch supporter of Israel. Fine told CNN that 'those who claim that Israel is engaged in genocide are either antisemites or idiots or both.' 'If Israel had wanted to commit a genocide in Gaza, they had the ability to do it. And it would have been done 18 months ago, and it would have been over in two days,' he said. 'Israel has the capability to kill everyone in Gaza, but they haven't. … Hundreds and hundreds of Israeli soldiers have died in order to minimize the deaths of Gaza Arabs.' He argued that Israel should stop putting its own soldiers at risk 'to minimize the deaths of the enemy.' Fine added: 'Israel needs to stop worrying about what the rest of the world thinks and take care of business. Political opinion does not win wars.' While many Republicans still agree with Fine, Steve Bannon, the former Trump chief strategist, said Tuesday on his podcast that there is 'very little support for Israel' within Trump's MAGA movement among those under age 30. 'And now, even people who support Israel are sitting there going, what in the hell's going on here?' Bannon said. Inside the Democratic Party, the issue of support for Israel proved to be a difficult one in 2024 for President Joe Biden and then his replacement atop the ballot, Vice President Kamala Harris, particularly in the battleground state of Michigan. That state, with its large Arab-American population, will host a competitive Senate contest in 2026. And Democrats who hope to run for president in 2028 will surely be pushed on their Israel policies in primaries across the country. Progressive Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, who was one of six members of Congress to support a recent Greene amendment to strip $500 million in funding for Israel's missile defense systems from a defense appropriations bill, said in a statement that, 'The United States has a responsibility to demand a permanent ceasefire, stop funding and supplying the bombs being dropped, and call for unconditional humanitarian aid to enter Gaza immediately. It is good policy, good politics, and the right thing to do.' More establishment figures in liberal media have also sharpened their criticism of Israel in recent days — offering a preview of what could become a significant long-term shift in the party. The former aides to President Barack Obama who host the 'Pod Save America' podcast argued this week that Democratic candidates should stop supporting military aid for Israel. 'There has to be a total mindset change in the Democratic Party,' co-host Tommy Vietor, a former Obama National Security Council staffer, said. 'When the war ends, we are not going back to the pre-October 7 status quo. It's not where the party is. It's not where the world is.' Eric Fingerhut, the president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Federations of North America and a former Ohio Democratic congressman, said the Gallup findings numbers reflect 'overwhelmingly negative media coverage of the war.' 'There's no question that we are in a very partisan moment in America, and that that is an overlay on how people react to the situation in Israel and in the war in Gaza,' Fingerhut said. CNN's Nadeen Ebrahim and Ibrahim Dahman contributed to this report.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump Unleashes a Flurry of Trade Surprises on Eve of Deadline
(Bloomberg) — Donald Trump unleashed a series of tariff deals and demands on the eve of his Friday deadline, including surprises on India and copper as the US president attempts to create a new global trade order. The World's Data Center Capital Has Residents Surrounded An Abandoned Art-Deco Landmark in Buffalo Awaits Revival Budapest's Most Historic Site Gets a Controversial Rebuild San Francisco in Talks With Vanderbilt for Downtown Campus We Should All Be Biking Along the Beach Trump on Wednesday announced tariffs of 15% on imports from South Korea that matched the rate for neighbor Japan, and a painful 25% levy on imports from India that was accompanied by criticism of its purchases of Russian energy and weapons. Deals were also in the offing for Thailand and Cambodia after they agreed to a ceasefire Monday, buttressing Trump's self-professed goal of being seen as a global peacemaker. Trump shocked markets with new tariff rules on copper, sinking prices in New York by a record after exempting the most widely traded forms of the metals from 50% tariffs. The onslaught comes on the eve of an Aug. 1 deadline, when the White House threatened reciprocal levies for countries without bilateral agreements, which most don't have. Trump has said rates globally will come in from 15% all the way to 50% — executing policies he believes will bring home manufacturing and raise government revenue, while giving him enormous leverage on countries whose exports depend on US consumers. 'Today we got a flurry of details and it's the case of the old saying: 'you can't see the forest for the trees,'' said Rob Subbaraman, chief economist at Nomura Holdings Inc. 'Stepping back, Trump has by and large followed through on his tariff threats. Right now it's just a lot of noise.' Most countries are still without a trade deal, and key details are scant for those who have one — including potential exemptions, investment promises and potential changes to rules of origin. The uncertainty and confusion amid the long rollout of Trump's new trade order has already hit global economic growth and weighed on investment, even as markets remain optimistic. 'These deals ramming against the clock — it's really not a good sign,' said Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis. The reach pushes countries to an agreement to avoid potentially higher levies, but could end up costing their economies more, she said. Meanwhile, the mood music between the US and China remains favorable for now. Speaking in the White House on Wednesday, Trump said the US will have a 'very fair deal with China.' Talks this week in Sweden strengthened trust between the two sides and boosted confidence in resolving economic disputes via discussions, the Communist Party's official newspaper said. The trade news wasn't limited to foreign countries. US consumers and small businesses will soon face higher costs on shipments, as Trump announced tariffs would apply from Aug. 29 on de minimis shipments, or imports that are below $800. Such shipments have been a boon for consumers and retailers, many of them in China, that ship products direct. A surprise reprieve for many Brazilian goods rallied its currency and stocks. Meantime, Bloomberg News reported Trump will speak with his Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday morning, sending the peso higher. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday that talks with the US may not finish by Trump's Friday deadline. Prospects for a better deal dimmed further when Trump posted on Truth Social that Canada's decision to back Palestinian statehood 'will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them.' For South Korea, the 15% includes autos, as well as a $350 billion South Korean fund for US investments including energy and shipbuilding. As with Japan, the US investments would be directed by Trump, the president said. And for both funds, 90% of the profits would flow back to the US, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a post on X. For India, Trump threatened a still-undefined additional penalty over its purchases of Russian energy, on top of a 25% tariff on imports from the nation. Any move on Russian oil may come up in talks with China, given that Beijing also takes substantial volumes of Moscow's crude, which the US has targeted since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Oil was holding Thursday near the highest in almost six months. Russia Builds a New Web Around Kremlin's Handpicked Super App Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash It's Not Just Tokyo and Kyoto: Tourists Descend on Rural Japan Everyone Loves to Hate Wind Power. Scotland Found a Way to Make It Pay Off Cage-Free Eggs Are Booming in the US, Despite Cost and Trump's Efforts ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign up for the Yahoo Finance Morning Brief By subscribing, you are agreeing to Yahoo's Terms and Privacy Policy