ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp took his most significant step yet to break from the Georgia GOP and bolster his own growing political network, telling high-dollar donors that the 2022 midterm was a sign “we can no longer rely on the traditional party infrastructure to win in the future.”
His remarks came Wednesday at an Atlanta luncheon for the Georgians First Leadership Committee, a fundraising vehicle created by a Kemp-backed law that can tap unlimited contributions. Through his committee and campaign, he raised $71 million for his reelection bid.
With his second victory over Democrat Stacey Abrams in the rearview mirror, Kemp is expanding the committee’s mission. He’s hired veteran staffers to lead the organization and told donors Wednesday he now wants to “build on our victories” from November.
“While we raised a record amount of money, for some context: Abrams raised over $100 million and (U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock) raised over $130 million,” he said. “And that number is only going to increase in 2024 and 2026.”
Kemp’s leadership committee has rapidly filled the void of the Georgia Republican Party, a once-powerful organization that helped marshal a flood of spending in competitive races.
The state GOP’s clout has waned considerably under embattled chair David Shafer, who infuriated key leaders and activists by openly siding with Donald Trump-backed challengers to Republican incumbents last year.
Every one of Trump’s candidates in those races was humiliated in the primary, and Shafer recently announced he wouldn’t seek another term amid a brewing revolt from influential party activists.
Kemp’s political organization last year served as a conduit for outside groups that refused to siphon money through the state GOP. The governor told donors on Wednesday that his top financial supporters now have more work to do — “and it starts today.”
The group’s new mission, which includes a focus on both national and local elections, coincides with Kemp’s efforts to gain influence in the 2024 White House race. The law also gives him a tremendous advantage, as Democrats can’t set up their own leadership committee until the party has a nominee for governor or lieutenant governor.
“It is our goal to replicate the sophisticated data and ground operation we created in 2022 to help down-ballot races and our presidential nominee to win next year,” Kemp said. “And also help win back a Senate seat and keep our state constitutional offices in 2026.”
With Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and House Speaker Jon Burns in the audience, Kemp pledged to help Republicans protect their majorities in the Legislature while also engaging in county commission and school board races.
“And we are absolutely going to beat some of these far-left Democrat district attorneys at the ballot box,” he added.
‘Times are changing’
The Kemp committee also released details of an internal poll that echo the results of an Atlanta Journal-Constitution survey that pegged the governor’s approval rating at 62%.
The internal poll tallied Kemp’s favorability rating at 54% among likely general election voters — higher than any other political figure polled. About 42% of voters have a positive view of President Joe Biden, while only 36% had a favorable image of Trump.
And 44% of voters give high marks to U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is up for another term in 2026 — and could face a challenge from Kemp.
The poll was conducted by the Cygnal firm on behalf of Kemp’s political network, so it should be taken as a grain of salt. But its findings point to the governor’s priorities, including support for his push to restore funding for the HOPE scholarship and tap the surplus for tax rebates.
Kemp’s remarks to donors underscored how quickly the leadership committee has transformed Georgia politics.
Currently, candidates have a cap on how much they can raise from a single donor when they raise cash for their main campaign operations. Statewide candidates are allowed to raise $7,600 from individual donors for the primary and again for the general election.
There are no limits on leadership committees, which can coordinate directly with candidates. Abrams’ leadership committee raised $59 million alone in 2022, while Kemp’s amassed $45 million. Some donors gave as much as $5 million at a time.
The governor called his leadership committee the “tip of the spear” for his priorities.
“Times are changing and we must adapt,” said Kemp. “I am committed to this work because I know how successful this team has been.”
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