ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp confirmed Monday that he will not run against incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff for the U.S. Senate seat in 2026.
“I have decided that being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family,” Kemp said in part.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
With the governor’s decision announced, expect the field to get crowded.
“There will be a broad and spirited GOP primary for senator, a little bit more lively than for the Democratic side where Sen. Jon Ossoff will not have a primary opposition,” political analyst Bill Crane said on Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m.
Ossoff’s campaign released a statement that said in part that he is “well-prepared to defeat any challenger.”
While none of the following have announced campaigns, here’s a look at potential candidates for the GOP primary and how some of them reacted to Kemp’s news.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter
Carter represents Georgia’s 1st Congressional District along the state’s coast. He was first elected to Congress in the 2014 election.
He previously considered running for U.S. Senate against Sen. Raphael Warnock before eventual GOP nominee Herschel Walker entered the race.
Carter is one of President Donald Trump’s biggest supporters in Georgia.
U.S. Rep. Mike Collins
Collins represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District.
In a statement, Collins said that he had urged Kemp to run for the Senate.
“Georgia needs leadership that matches the values of our state. I’m disappointed that my efforts to persuade the governor were not successful, and I wish he and his family the best in whatever the Lord has in store for them,” he said.
Collins, another one of Trump’s biggest backers in Georgia, said he would “encourage all interested parties to fully commit and invest.”
U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick
McCormick represents Georgia’s 7th Congressional District after district lines were redrawn.
Ryan Mahoney, a political adviser to McCormick, told the Associated Press that “it’s no surprise that hardworking Georgians” would want him to run.
He said McCormick would decide “at the appropriate time.”
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
Greene, who represents Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, has said in the past that she would consider running for U.S. Senate or the Georgia governor’s office.
At the White House last week, Greene told Channel 2’s Richard Elliot that “all options are open to me.”
Greene has fully backed Trump going back to his first term.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
Raffensperger succeeded Kemp as secretary of state. Will he take his place as a potential GOP candidate for Senate?
“All options are on the table,” Raffensperger’s spokesperson Jordan Fuchs told the AP.
Raffensperger does have a history of tangling with Trump, going back to the president’s infamous call to find 11,000 votes. Whether the president would support a potential Raffensperger bid for Senate remains to be seen.
Insurance Commissioner John King
Kemp appointed King as Georgia Insurance Commissioner when former commissioner Jim Beck was removed in 2019.
King won re-election in 2022 after he defeated a Trump-backed candidate in the primary.
King called Kemp “the best governor in America” and said he is grateful for his friendship and leadership.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
