COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) -- In about six weeks, Republicans from across Georgia will gather in Columbus for the annual convention.
And the state’s top Republican – Gov. Brian Kemp – won't be among them.
Since 2020, Brian Kemp has been a target of those who believed that the Georgia presidential campaign was stolen from Donald Trump.
Time and again, Kemp has withstood pressure from Trump and his supporters.
Some of those who promote the conspiracy theories are now moving into GOP party leadership. One of those people -- Kandiss Taylor – was elected to a key GOP district position over the weekend. She ran unsuccessfully against Kemp in the 2022 primary and promoted conspiracy theories throughout her campaign.
The party leadership will gather here June 9th and 10th. It is customary for the governor – if he’s a member of the party – to be a keynote speaker.
That won’t happen this time.
Here’s what one of the governor’s most trusted political advisers had to say earlier today after news of Kemp’s decision was first reported on AJC.com.
"I think the governor is going to be focused on making sure that we win at the ballot box in the future in 2024 and 2026, just like he was able to pull the rest of the ticket across the finish line in 2022," said Cody Hall, a senior advisor for Kemp. "… And I think to your point, a lot of the current leadership and folks who were just elected to leadership want to focus on the last election, even as far back as 2020. That's not what real voters care about.”
A former Georgia State senator from Columbus, Josh McKoon, is seeking to become the chairman of the state Republican party. That election will be held during the Columbus convention.
Cody Hall/Senior adviser to Gov. Brian Kemp
"I think the governor is going to be focused on making sure that we win at the ballot box in the future in 2024 and 2026, just like he was able to pull the rest of the ticket across the finish line in 2022. You know, unfortunately, I think there are folks within the current Georgia GOP leadership and some of the folks that were elected to other positions in the party at district convention this past week that quite honestly aren't focused on winning elections. They want to look in the rearview mirror instead of looking forward. The governor believes and our team believes, that the way you win elections is talking about the future, what you're for, not focusing on the past.”
“You know, I think that it it goes to the governor's overall point that if we want to continue to be a party that can elect statewide candidates in Georgia, we have to be focused on what we're for.
“We have to talk to folks about what we're doing to help them fight inflation, secure the border, you know, drive down gas prices, cut their taxes, make health care more affordable, make sure their schools are teaching our kids, not indoctrinating them. Those are the things that Republicans ought to be focused on. And I think to your point, a lot of the current leadership and folks who were just elected to leadership want to focus on the last election, even as far back as 2020. That's not what real voters care about.”
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