Former Senator David Perdue Reportedly Set to Primary Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp With Trump’s Backing

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A former Republican Senator is reportedly getting set to primary an incumbent governor from his own party — with the support of former President Donald Trump.

According to Politico, former senator David Perdue will announce on Monday that he is challenging Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) in Georgia’s Republican primary. He will do so with the backing of the former president. Politico reports that endorsement and fundraising support from Trump is “forthcoming.”

Trump is making good on a pledge from this past January, when he told the crowd at a Georgia rally, “I’ll be here in about a year and a half campaigning against your governor.” He has repeatedly bashed Kemp for not indulging his baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election in the state was rigged.

Kemp, as recently as last week, said that Perdue has told him he doesn’t plan to run against him in the primary.

“All I know is what Sen. Perdue has told me, I hope he’ll be a man of his word, but again that’s not anything I can control,” Kemp said, in remarks quoted by Politico.

Perdue lost his seat in Congress to Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) this past January in a runoff election. That race, coupled with a loss by former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, gave Democrats control of the Senate.