How Georgia Republicans fare in the 2026 elections could hinge on someone who might not even be on the ballot: Brian Kemp.
Kemp, the state’s popular term-limited governor, has yet to announce whether he’ll challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026. If he does, Republican operatives are optimistic about their chances — not only against Ossoff, but in the open statewide races as well.
But if Kemp doesn’t run, strategists expect the consequences to cascade down the ballot, threatening Republicans’ tenuous grip on political power in Georgia.