David Perdue Says He ‘Misunderstood’ Trump Rally Chants to Jail Brian Kemp After He Gave Them a Thumbs Up

Georgia gubernatorial candidate David Perdue (R-GA) claimed Tuesday he was unaware he supported chants at a rally for former President Donald Trump to “lock-up” Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.

At a rally on Saturday in Commerce, Georgia, Perdue railed against Kemp and others he said were responsible for the “absolutely stolen” 2020 presidential and January 2021 special Senate elections in the state.

He implied Kemp, who Trump disavowed following his loss in the state in 2020, was complicit in a conspiracy to deny the Republican party a chance to keep the White House and Senate.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on the rally:

And when [Perdue] promised to ensure that those “responsible for that fraud in 2020 go to jail” if elected governor, loud chants of “lock him up!” erupted from Trump supporters gathered at the old dragway in Commerce.

Perdue responded to the demands to imprison Kemp, his former political ally turned primary rival, by flashing a smile and a thumbs-up sign to the crowd.

The moment was captured on video and shared by AJC reporter Greg Bluestein.

David Perdue smiles and flashes a thumbs up sign to a crowd chanting “Lock him up!” about Brian Kemp at Trump’s rally last night in northeast Georgia. #gapol pic.twitter.com/teXB5XhvGA

— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) March 27, 2022

Perdue, who is down in the polls to Kemp, was asked about the thumb’s up Tuesday. He claimed he did not know members of the crowd were chanting “Lock him up!”

AJC reporter Patricia Murphy reported Perdue was asked about showing support for jailing his primary opponent.

“I really thought they were saying lock them up,” Perdue told reporters before he noted he believed “them” to be “the people responsible” for robbing him and Trump of their respective electoral wins.

At a gaggle, @DavidPerdueGA says he “misunderstood” the chant of “Lock him up!” about @GovKemp at Trump rally. “I really thought they were saying lock them up.” Adds that “the people responsible” for 2020 and 2021 “should be investigated and are brought to justice.” #gapol pic.twitter.com/X5ZhhhwN1e

— Patricia Murphy (@MurphyAJC) March 29, 2022

He concluded that those who stole his win should be “investigated” and” brought to justice.”

Perdue lost his race against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff last January. Meanwhile, former GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler lost her seat to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Perdue was initially reserved following his loss, even as Trump complained the state’s elections were stolen.

Perdue has embraced Trump as he vies to defeat Kemp to take on Democrat Stacey Abrams in the November general election.

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