Georgia
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp snaps back at Trump after repeated attacks: 'Leave my family out of it'
Former President Donald Trump at a rally in Atlanta on Saturday again attacked Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and the state’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both of whom are Republicans, for their refusal to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden in the Peach State.
The governor responded by suggesting Trump should focus on winning in November and refrain from “petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past.”
Before the rally, Trump criticized Kemp, a popular Republican governor in a must-win swing state for the Republican White House hopeful, and suggested the governor should be “fighting Crime, not fighting Unity and the Republican Party.”
Trump also criticized Kemp’s wife, Marty, for saying she would write in her husband’s name for president in November instead of voting for the former president.
“Brad Raffensperger has to do his job, and make sure this Election is not stolen,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. “Brian Kemp should focus his efforts on fighting Crime, not fighting Unity and the Republican Party! His Crime Rate in Georgia is terrible, his Crime Rate in Atlanta is the worst, and his Economy is average.”
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Former President Donald Trump holds a rally in the historically Democratic South Bronx on May 23, 2024, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Kemp has repeatedly been credited for Georgia’s strong economy during his time as governor and his approval rating in the state has soared, with a 63% approval rating in a June poll conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The governor narrowly defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams in the 2018 gubernatorial election after receiving Trump’s endorsement. In 2022, Kemp cruised to a win over Trump-backed former U.S. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., in the primary before defeating Abrams by seven and a half points in a rematch in the general election.
“He should be seeking UNITY, not Retribution, especially against the man that got him the Nomination through Endorsement and, without whom, he could never have beaten Stacey Abrams,” Trump wrote. “He and his wife didn’t think he could win. I said, ‘I’m telling you you’re going to win.’ Then he won, he was happy, and his wife said, ‘Thank you Sir, we’ll never be able to make it up to you!’ Now she says she won’t Endorse me, and is going to ‘write in Brian Kemp’s name.’ Well, I don’t want her Endorsement, and I don’t want his.”
“They’re the ones who got Fani Willis and her boyfriend all ‘jazzed up’ and ready to go. He could have ended that travesty with a phone call, but he doesn’t want to end it because he’s a bad guy,” he continued.
Trump was referring to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, whose office is prosecuting Trump’s election interference case in Georgia, and her controversial relationship with Nathan Wade, who was a prosecutor in the case before resigning earlier this year amid scrutiny over the relationship.
Kemp responded to the former president with a post on the social media platform X, saying: “My focus is on winning this November and saving our country from Kamala Harris and the Democrats – not engaging in petty personal insults, attacking fellow Republicans, or dwelling on the past.”
“You should do the same, Mr. President, and leave my family out of it,” Kemp said.
Raffensperger also replied to Trump’s claims in a post of his own.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp looks on during the celebration honoring the Georgia Bulldogs national championship victory on Jan. 15, 2022, in Athens, Georgia. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
“Georgia’s elections are secure,” Raffensperger wrote on X. “The winner here in November will reflect the will of the people. History has taught us this type of message doesn’t sell well here in Georgia, sir.”
Kemp, notably, signed Georgia’s Election Integrity Act into law in 2021 that includes requiring identification to vote, extending the early voting period and ensuring a ballot drop box will be available in every county.
During the rally on Saturday, Trump criticized Kemp in a 10-minute rant over baseless claims the governor was responsible for his loss to Biden and for not stopping Willis from prosecuting the Georgia election interference case. A state commission has powers to discipline and remove prosecutors for not following the law after Kemp signed a bill into law, but the governor does not have the ability to remove prosecutors.
“He’s a bad guy. He’s a disloyal guy. And he’s a very average governor. Little Brian, little Brian Kemp. Bad guy,” Trump said.
The former president has continued to repeat false claims the 2020 election was stolen from him.
Biden defeated Trump in Georgia by 11,779 votes in 2020, and the former president pressured Raffensperger to “find” enough votes for him to win. Trump and his allies also attempted to present slates of so-called “fake electors” that could replace the Democratic voters Biden won.
Trump was later indicted in Georgia for attempting to overturn the election, although the case is now on hold as the courts decide whether Willis can continue to prosecute it.
Kemp certified the electors that Biden won in 2020 and rejected efforts by Trump allies to replace them.
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Brian Kemp, governor of Georgia, speaks during an election night rally in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The governor did not endorse anyone in this year’s GOP primary but has said he will vote for the Republican ticket in November, as Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee after Biden suspended his re-election campaign, look to win the battleground state of Georgia, which had gone to the Republican presidential candidate every year since 1996 before Biden won it four years ago.
Harris’ campaign correctly predicted before Trump’s rally that he would deny the 2020 election results.
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After the rally, the Harris campaign released a statement from former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, who served alongside Kemp during the governor’s first term.
“If you were able to see through Donald Trump’s incoherence and vindictiveness tonight, you saw a Donald Trump who does not care about uniting this country or speaking to the voters who will decide this election,” Duncan said in the statement. “Millions of Americans are fed up with his grievance-filled campaign focused only on himself.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday that he plans to join U.S. Senate candidate Derek Dooley on a campaign tour Thursday in northeast Georgia.
Dooley, a Republican candidate who describes himself as a “political outsider,” has a series of five stops. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp plan to support the candidate, who, like Kemp, grew up in Athens.
Dooley, the son of University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, and himself a former college and NFL coach, is running against GOP candidates Buddy Carter, Mike Collins, and others. Carter and Collins are members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Republican primary is on May 19.
Dooley’s tour begins at 9 a.m. at the McEachin Farm, 600 U.S. 29, Danielsville, followed by a stop at the Franklin Springs Public Safety Building at 10:30 a.m. on 2525 West Main St.
The next stops are 12:30 p.m. at the Crossroads Café, 4654 Ga. Highway 115, Demorest; 2 p.m. at Linda’s Place, 66 Doyle St., Toccoa; and 3:30 p.m. at the Homer Fire Department, 243 Sycamore St., Homer.
Dooley, who has a law degree from UGA, will also make stops on Friday in Fannin, Hall, and Morgan counties.
Starting next year, Georgia high school students won’t be allowed to access personal electronic devices during the school day after Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill extending the cellphone ban into law.
On Tuesday, Kemp signed House Bill 1009 as part of a ceremony where the governor signed nine pieces of legislation dealing with education.
The law will ban the use of cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, and headphones from the start of the school day until dismissal.
Students whose Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan, or medical plan requires the use of a device would still be permitted to access it as necessary.
“Here in the No. 1 state for business and opportunity, our classrooms must be safe learning environments that serve as launching pads for success in the workforce,” Kemp said. “The bills I signed today implement proven strategies to improve literacy and math scores, reduce distractions in the classroom, expand pathways to graduation, and further support hardworking educators and families. These are just the latest steps we’ve taken to create opportunity for all Georgians, no matter their zip code.”
The bill, designated a top priority of House Speaker Jon Burns, passed both chambers of the Georgia Legislature with overwhelming support earlier this year.
In 2025, lawmakers passed similar restrictions for Georgia elementary and middle school students. Since then, some educators say they’ve seen improvements in student focus, classroom behavior, and teacher stress.
While parents raised concerns over how they can be in touch with their children in case of emergencies, Burns argued that increased communication could cause issues during serious situations.
“What we’ve seen is, and what we’ve learned from some of the tragic situations we’ve had, like in Barrow County, that some of that communication certainly is good for the parent to understand that the child is safe, but it also interferes with the safety protocols in the school. So we believe that that’s a part of the whole discussion,” he said.
Along with the cellphone ban, Kemp also signed into law revisions to how literacy is taught across Georgia, new core math requirements for fourth and fifth graders, expanded childcare options for parents of pre-K students, and more.
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Georgia was already going to see plenty of anglers this summer, but now they have even more reason to go fishing this season.
On Friday, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that his administration approved state permits for the 2026 red snapper season with much larger windows for fishing.
“For years, our Great Fishermen have been punished with very short federal fishing seasons despite record high fish populations and the states begging to oversee these permits,” Trump wrote. “We love and respect our fishermen and, unlike the Democrats, will only do good for them.”
When is Georgia red snapper season 2026?
Georgia anglers will be able to fish for red snapper from July 1 through Aug. 31. The state’s department of natural resources said via news release that, traditionally, the season has been limited to just a few days due to data uncertainty. But, if Georgia can show proficiency in data collection, the longer season could be extended for two more years.
Red snapper fishing laws
Anglers may keep only one red snapper per day. They must register their trips prior to departure using the Georgia DNR app, which will be released at a later date. They must also report their catch within 24 hours.
Georgia DNR coastal resources director Doug Haymans said “This is a major step forward for Georgia anglers….If anglers want longer, more reliable seasons, we need better data—and that comes directly from them. Reporting through the app is how anglers can help shape the future of red snapper fishing in Georgia.”
Reactions to expanded red snapper fishing season
Gov. Brian Kemp said on his social media platforms “Thank you to President Trump for putting the power to conserve and manage this key fish population back where it belongs – in the hands of those who know the region best. Looking forward to Red Snapper season opening soon!”
Florida and the Carolinas’ governors have shared similar statements of excitement and praise.
However, when these moves were being considered in February, the US-based advocacy group Ocean Conservancy put out a statement of opposition, writing as a group “Overfishing drove the red snapper population to just 11% of its historical abundance; in response, seasons were reduced as part of a rebuilding plan set to last through 2044. These new exemptions risk undermining the progress made to restore this stock and allow sustainable fishing opportunities.”
Where are red snapper in Georgia?
According to NOAA, red snapper are generally found 30-620 feet deep in the Gulf of America and along the east coast. They are rare north of the Carolinas.
Larval red snapper swim freely within the water column. Juveniles live in shallow waters over sandy or muddy bottom habitat. Adults live on the bottom, usually near hard structures on continental shelf that have moderate to high relief (rocks, ledges, reefs, etc), sloping soft-bottom areas, and limestone deposits.
What do red snapper eat?
Red snapper eat fish, shrimp, crab, worms, cephalopods (octopus or squid), and some plankton (tiny floating plants and animals).
Best way to cook red snapper
Chef and host of Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods” Andrew Zimmern posted a video on TikTok of a recipe idea using red snapper:
How big are red snapper?
Red snapper may grow up to 40 inches long and weighing up to 50 pounds.
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
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