Trump Adviser Floats Mystery Challenger to Gov. Brian Kemp

Corey Lewandowski, the former Trump campaign manager, hopped on The John Fredericks Show to tease the idea of a serious Republican contender entering the race against Gov. Brian Kemp. Said Lewandowski:

“I am not working for a candidate in the Georgia governor’s race, but I have talked to what I think is going to be a phenomenal candidate. And I think at the end of the day this person gets in …

“Brian Kemp is not a king. He doesn’t just get to decide that he’s going to be the governor and not have anyone challenge him. The person who I’ve been talking to, John, who is going to run for governor has held elective office in the state of Georgia.

“He’s a known commodity. He has a great story. He’s been elected in an area where traditionally Republicans don’t get elected. And he’s willing to take this fight directly to Brian Kemp. And it scares the hell out of the establishment.”

This takes some unpacking. Kemp has so far avoided a top-tier Republican challenger in the primary, drawing only renegade Democrat Vernon Jones.

And despite his pleas for Trump’s support, the former president has yet to back Jones — and we’re told he’s unlikely to ever do so.

That’s not surprising, given Jones’ history of misconduct and, perhaps more importantly, long record of voting against GOP priorities, such as the anti-abortion law that Kemp spearheaded in 2019.

That’s also why pro-Trump forces are still casting about for a credible Kemp alternative in next year’s primary. And they obviously hope Trump — who repeatedly promised to campaign against Kemp — will hear them out.

Read the full story from the news and analysis from the POLITICAL INSIDER team at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Patricia Murphy,  Greg Bluestein, and Tia Mitchell  (Photo Credit: Alyssa Pointer)