According to a report by The Washington Post, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who is term-limited, is considering running against Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in the Senate.

Warnock is up for re-election in 2028.

Kemp passed on challenging Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) this cycle.

The Republican governor has also been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential contender.

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Kemp, whose interest in a run has not previously been reported, has kept a relatively low profile in recent years, passing on a 2026 Senate bid despite GOP leaders’ entreaties. He has repeatedly stood up to Trump, and defeated a Trump-backed primary challenge against him by more than 50 percentage points in 2022, cementing his reputation as a popular conservative governor who keeps Trump at a distance. Kemp is also considering running for Senate in 2028, said the person with knowledge of his thinking.

In the final week of the midterms, Kemp campaigned in South Carolina, an early presidential nominating state, on behalf of Republican Alan Wilson, who went on to win the state’s governor’s race — despite other unexpected GOP losses there.

Meanwhile, both Georgia Democratic senators have been floated as potential 2028 presidential contenders.

In an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Warnock was asked by Jake Tapper if he would make a decision on running for president before the end of 2026.

“I’m gonna make some news for you this morning Jake Tapper, come 2028 I will be running for high office,” Warnock said.

“High office meaning president?” Tapper questioned.

“I am very much focused on the midterms,” Warnock answered.

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His focus may be on this race, but the senator is still spending time thinking about the future.

During a stop at a Democratic volunteer office in Roswell on Friday, Warnock said he was focused on the prospect of “having a (Democratic) majority over time” and not just for one or two election cycles.

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“Right now, our ceiling is 52. That’s unsustainable, we’ve got to expand the map and my theory of the case is that the road to a sustainable Democratic majority runs right through the South,” Warnock told USA TODAY. “So I’ve been trying to get my party to invest more, to know that what we did in Georgia we can replicate, for example, in a state like Mississippi.”

This message was echoed by former vice president Kamala Harris and NAACP president Derrick Johnson during a town hall in South Fulton last week.

“What we are seeing right now, rightly, because the people of Georgia and others in the South are claiming their right to be seen and heard. I do believe that if we continue with this level of activism and energy, a year from now, finally, certain people will start to understand the South must be invested in,” Harris said.

Johnson called the turnout “phenomenal,” and said he was feeling “energized” by what he was witnessing in Georgia.

“We are feeling the impact of why elections, in fact, really, really matter. And in this moment, I am energized by being in Georgia because you all are setting the trend,” Johnson told the crowd. “What is happening in Georgia is phenomenal. 159 counties, and (if) the Black folks show up strong in nine of the 159? Game over. The momentum that you display here will be viral because it opens up what’s possible in South Carolina, in Mississippi, in Louisiana, in North Carolina, and you name the place where we have critical mass of our community.”

Although Ossoff committed to serving his full Senate term after being re-elected this cycle, he is still considered a possible contender in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary.

“I’m Not Running For President” – Democrat Senator Addresses Speculation Of White House Run

 

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