Former President Donald Trump has managed to flip yet another Republican governor to endorse his current bid for a second term. On Thursday night, following the Democratic National Convention, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp appeared on Sean Hannity’s prime-time Fox News show, where his comments about the election made headlines.
In a notable shift from his previous public disagreements with Trump over the outcome of the 2020 election in his state, Kemp officially endorsed Trump for the 2024 election. The endorsement represents a dramatic turnaround in their relationship, which had been marked by public disputes and disagreements. “Well, Sean, look, we gotta win. We gotta win from the top of the ticket on down,” Kemp said on Fox News. “I’ve been saying consistently for a long time, we cannot afford another four years of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and I think Kamala Harris and Tim Walz could be even worse. So we need to send Donald Trump back to the White House.”
“We need to retake the Senate. We need to hold the House. We need to hold our legislative majorities that we have in the great state of Georgia. And it takes hard work, that’s what we’ve been doing. And it takes hard work, that’s what we’ve been doing,” Kemp continued. For Kemp, the endorsement could help repair relations within his party and solidify his standing by aligning with Trump’s influential base. For Trump, gaining support from a former adversary could bolster his credibility and showcase his ability to unite the party’s different factions.
According to a source close to the matter who spoke to Politico, Trump apparently approved of Kemp’s recent appearance on Sean Hannity’s show. Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Thank you to #BrianKempGA for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country. I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
In June, Utah’s governor, Spencer Cox, told CNN that he had no intention of supporting either Trump or President Joe Biden in the upcoming election. However, his stance has since undergone a significant shift. According to Politico, Cox unequivocally declared his support for Trump’s candidacy just a week after the assassination attempt on Trump.
“I am doing everything I can to help and support him,” the governor – who called on Trump to resign on Jan. 6, 2021 – said. “We will still have lots of disagreements, I’m sure, and we’ll still do everything we can to help the state of Utah and help the Republican Party be successful.”
The day after the shooting, Cox privately put his support behind Trump in a letter, writing that he believed Trump’s life was spared due to a “miracle,” adding: “I humbly submit that you — and I sincerely mean this — only you — can” unify the country.
“Mr. President, I know we have some differences and you probably don’t like me much. And that’s OK. I get it. I am not writing this letter looking for a position in your Cabinet or a role on your team,” Cox wrote in the letter, obtained by POLITICO and first reported by the Deseret News. “But I have loved so many of your policies … [and] I have told everyone that you are going to win the state of Utah and you are going to win the presidency again.”
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.