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Georgia’s GOP governor under fire after US Senate losses

FILE - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, center, Speaker of the House David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan hold a news conference Wednesday evening, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, to condemn the breach of the U.S. Capitol. The 2020 election cycle has left Georgia's Republican governor bruised even though he wasn't on the ballot. The two Senate Republicans defeated in runoff elections included Kemp's hand-picked appointee, Kelly Loeffler. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)
FILE - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, center, Speaker of the House David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan hold a news conference Wednesday evening, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, to condemn the breach of the U.S. Capitol. The 2020 election cycle has left Georgia's Republican governor bruised even though he wasn't on the ballot. The two Senate Republicans defeated in runoff elections included Kemp's hand-picked appointee, Kelly Loeffler. (AP Photo/Ben Gray) FILE - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, center, Speaker of the House David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan hold a news conference Wednesday evening, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, to condemn the breach of the U.S. Capitol. The 2020 election cycle has left Georgia's Republican governor bruised even though he wasn't on the ballot. The two Senate Republicans defeated in runoff elections included Kemp's hand-picked appointee, Kelly Loeffler. (AP Photo/Ben Gray)

By JEFF AMY and RUSS BYNUM / Associated Press 5 min read

ATLANTA (AP) – Even though he wasn’t on the ballot, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has been painfully bruised by the 2020 elections.

In a state long dominated by Republicans, Democrats won Georgia’s electoral votes for president in November and two U.S. Senate seats in runoff elections Tuesday, defeating Kemp’s hand-picked Senate appointee. President Donald Trump, furious at Kemp for resisting efforts to overturn Trump’s election loss, vowed to oppose the governor’s reelection next year.

Trump loyalists are already working to recruit a primary challenger. Meanwhile, Democrats who have gained strength in Georgia since Stacey Abrams’ narrow 2018 loss to Kemp are spoiling for revenge.

“Gov. Kemp, you’re next. See you in 2022,” the Democratic Governors Association tweeted Wednesday as the upset victories of Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the Georgia Senate races came to light.

The governor’s political capital took a serious hit with the loss of Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler. A year ago, he chose the wealthy businesswoman and political novice to fill the seat vacated by retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson, in part to help Republicans win back support among suburban women. In doing so, he passed over more experienced contenders – including Trump’s personal choice, former GOP Rep. Doug Collins.