(Headline USA) Incumbent Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is far outraising his main Republican primary challenger, former U.S. Sen. David Perdue, leaving Perdue with less than $1 million in cash on hand while Kemp had $12.7 million in his main campaign account.
Along with races to oust Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska and Rep. Liz Cheney in Wyoming, the Peach State’s gubernatorial primary is one of the biggest litmus tests for former President Donald Trump’s influence on the future of the GOP.
Kemp drew the brunt of Trump’s ire in the aftermath of the 2020 election for his refusal to investigate meaningfully the disputed outcome following strong evidence of vote fraud in blue-run areas like Fulton and DeKalb counties.
Perdue—who is the first cousin of former Georgia governor and Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue—was a likely victim of the same fraud-conducive policies after being unseated in a tight Jan. 5, 2021 runoff to Democrat Jon Ossoff.
The victor of this year’s high-stakes primary race will likely take on Democrat candidate Stacey Abrams in November’s general election. It would be a rematch for Kemp, who defeated Abrams in 2018.
Perdue raised $1.1 million by Jan. 31 after entering the race in early December, according to a report filed Monday.
Kemp has been raising money all along, banking $7.4 million in the seven months ended Jan. 31. While Perdue had much less time, he’s currently raising less than $1 million a month.
Abrams, by comparison, raised $9.25 million after entering the race only a few days ahead of Perdue. The anti-voting-integrity activist has been a major beneficiary of dark-money donors like billionaire oligarch George Soros.
While Democrats are projected to trail in many of the 2022 races, where backlash to the Biden administrations failed policies may trigger a red wave of Republican support, the infighting in the Georgia primary race could further undermine the eventual candidate’s ability to stave off Abrams’ support from outside the state.
Kemp spokesperson Cody Hall said Perdue’s “ego driven campaign is down in the polls” and “can’t raise money,” calling Perdue’s total “embarrassing.”
“It is abundantly clear Gov. Kemp is the only Republican with the grassroots support, conservative record and resources to beat Stacy Abrams this November,” Hall said.
Perdue is betting that his backing by Trump can overcome his monetary disadvantage, also noting that another Republican challenger, Vernon Jones, dropped out and endorsed Perdue Monday
“As the only Trump-endorsed candidate in this race, David Perdue has the message, the momentum, and the grassroots network to win in May and defeat Stacey Abrams in November,” Perdue spokesperson Jenni Sweat said. “While Brian Kemp collects checks from lobbyists and special interest groups, David Perdue is traveling around the state and connecting with thousands of everyday Georgians.”
A legal challenge did help even the score somewhat when a federal judge on Monday preliminarily ordered Kemp not to spend money from a special leadership committee that under state law can collect unlimited contributions even during the legislative session.
Incumbents are barred from raising money for their personal campaign accounts while the General Assembly is meeting.
Kemp’s leadership committee, called Georgians First, raised $2.3 million and spent $1.7 million before the judge cut off the tap with a preliminary injunction.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
