May 21, 2025
ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday that he will not run for the U.S. Senate next year, turning down a Republican nomination that was his for the taking and throwing the race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff wide open.
In a post on social media, the two-term GOP governor said friends, supporters, and Republican leaders across the country have encouraged him in recent weeks to challenge Ossoff.
“After those discussions, I have decided that being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family,” Kemp wrote. “I spoke with President Trump and Senate leadership earlier today and expressed my commitment to work alongside them to ensure we have a strong Republican nominee who can win next November, and ultimately be a conservative voice in the U.S. Senate who will put hardworking Georgians first.”
Kemp has been widely considered the potential Republican nominee with by far the best chance of defeating Ossoff. Other possible GOP hopefuls have been waiting in the wings to see what Kemp would do before deciding whether to enter the race.
Ossoff was elected to a six-year term in the Senate in a January 2021 runoff, defeating incumbent Republican Sen. David Perdue. In light of Kemp’s reelection win in 2022 and Trump’s victory in Georgia last year, Ossoff has been considered the most vulnerable Democrat in the Senate this election cycle.
