Mike Pence to Campaign for Brian Kemp as 2024 Rumors Fly – Former Vice President Mike Pence once again broke ranks with former President Donald Trump, announcing this week that he intends to campaign with incumbent Republican Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp.
Kemp is currently fighting off Trump-endorsed primary challenger former Senator David Perdue, after Kemp publicly disagreed with the former president’s accusations of voter fraud and misconduct in the 2020 presidential election.
In a statement released on Friday, former Vice President Pence described Governor Kemp as “one of the most successful conservative governors in America.”
“Brian Kemp is my friend, a man dedicated to faith, family and the people of Georgia. I am proud to offer my full support for four more years of Brian Kemp as governor of the great state of Georgia!” Pence said.
Kemp responded in his own statement, expressing his gratitude to the former vice president.
In a tweet, Kemp praised Pence’s leadership.
“The Vice President’s leadership was instrumental in creating the most prosperous economy in American history, including here in Georgia, and his commitment to building a safer, stronger America represents the highest ideals of our party,” he said.
The endorsement is unsurprising, too. Not only has the former vice president made it very clear that he disagrees with Trump on matters relating to election security, but Pence’s former chief of staff Marc Short is also a senior adviser to the Kemp campaign.
Pence to Attend Kemp Rally
Not only has the former vice president offered his support to the Georgia governor, but he is set to appear at a Kemp rally on May 23.
Former President Donald Trump headlined a rally for rival candidate David Perdue in March. Trump also gave Perdue $500,000 from his campaign war chest to assist with his campaign – however, polls have repeatedly shown that this could be one endorsement that won’t pay off.
The most recent polls put Kemp at 54% and 38%.
For Pence, endorsing Kemp is a no-brainer. Not only does his former chief of staff work on the campaign, but if he is genuinely considering a 2024 presidential run – as he still appears to be – then a victory against a Trump-endorsed candidate is a good springboard for his future campaign and evidence that there is still room for candidates other than Trump.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
