Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will not seek the GOP nomination in next year’s Georgia Senate race, a key contest for control of Congress’ upper chamber as Republicans look to unseat vulnerable Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.

In a post on X, Kemp said, “Being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family.”

He added that he spoke with Senate GOP leadership and President Trump and “expressed my commitment to work alongside them to ensure we have a strong Republican nominee who can win next November.”

Kemp led Ossoff 49%-46% in a hypothetical Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll of the 2026 Senate race taken last month, within the 3.1-point margin of error.

The Georgia Senate race is one of next year’s most closely watched contests, and retaining the seat could prove essential to Democrats’ efforts to regain control of the Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 53-47 edge. 

Elections in Georgia — once a consistently red state — are perennially close. Ossoff won his Senate seat by under two points in a 2021 runoff against GOP Sen. David Perdue, driven by strong performance in the Atlanta suburbs and among Black voters — helping to cinch the Democrats’ narrow Senate majority. And Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock was reelected by fewer than three points in 2022, beating Trump-backed ex-football star Herschel Walker.

Kemp’s plans for the Senate race were closely watched due to his popularity in the state. The term-limited governor defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams by just 1.4 points in 2018, but improved his margin to 7.5 points in a 2022 rematch against Abrams. Kemp also easily staved off a Trump-backed primary challenge by Perdue in 2022, beating him by over 50 points.

Kemp and Mr. Trump have a rocky relationship, dating back to the governor’s refusal to help the president overturn his narrow 2020 election loss in Georgia. Mr. Trump endorsed Perdue’s primary election, calling Kemp the “WORST Governor in the Country on Election Integrity.” Kemp later endorsed Mr. Trump’s 2024 campaign, and Mr. Trump won back Georgia.

With Kemp out of the race, it’s unclear who will seek to run against Ossoff. 

Mr. Trump said in 2023 he would “fight like hell” for Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene if she runs for Senate. The firebrand lawmaker said earlier this year she’s “considering all possibilities” when asked if she will run for statewide office in 2026. 

Candidates other than Kemp could face a tougher path: In last month’s Journal-Constitution poll, Ossoff led Greene 54%-37%. The incumbent senator also led Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King 51%-38%, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — another Trump foe — 48%-39%.