Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican and reluctant Trump supporter, had been avoiding the question of whether former President Donald J. Trump was his choice for the G.O.P. nominee.
Finally, on Wednesday, Mr. Kemp revealed that he did not vote for Trump in the primary, opting instead for a blank ballot.
In an interview with CNN, Mr. Kemp stated, “I voted, but I didn’t vote for anybody. Look, at that point, it didn’t really matter.”
Despite not voting for Trump, Mr. Kemp expressed his support for the Republican candidates for president and vice president, acknowledging that Trump was likely to be the nominee. Following the 2020 election, Trump criticized Kemp for certifying the results in Georgia, a state won by Joe Biden. Trump even called for Kemp’s resignation, making Biden the first Democrat to win Georgia since Bill Clinton in 1992.
In March 2021, Kemp stated that he would support Trump if he ran for president in 2024. However, later that year, Trump suggested at a rally in Georgia that Stacey Abrams, Kemp’s Democratic opponent, might govern the state better. In the 2022 governor’s race, Kemp easily defeated a primary challenge from David Perdue, who was endorsed by Trump.
Kemp endorsed Trump briefly in March, stating, “I think he’d be better than Joe Biden.” In an interview with CNN, Kemp expressed his hope that Trump would focus on the future and not dwell on the past.
“Regardless of our history together, I have a vested interest in Georgia remaining in Republican hands,” Kemp emphasized.
