Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for May 6, 2025

Georgia and American History

On May 6, 1789, the Constitutional Convention in Augusta, Georgia adopted a new Georgia Constitution.

Jefferson Davis spoke in Savannah, Georgia on May 6, 1866.

Davis … defend[ed] the South’s cause in the Civil War, stating, “In 1776 the colonies acquired State sovereignty. They revolted from the mother country in a desperate struggle. That was the cause for which they fought. Is it a lost cause now? Never. Has Georgia lost the State sovereignty which … she won in 1776? No, a thousand times no.” Davis’s fiery remarks were captured by reporters for the New York Times and other northern newspapers.

Because of the national attention generated over his visit to Alabama and Georgia, Davis took a more conciliatory tone in a speech that evening, noting, “There are some who take it for granted that when I allude to State sovereignty I want to bring on another war. I am too old to fight again, and God knows I don’t want you to have the necessity of fighting again… . The celebration today is a link in the long chain of affection that binds you and the North together. Long may it be true.”

On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister became the first person to break the four-minute barrier for running the mile.

For years, so many athletes had tried and failed to run a mile in less than four minutes that people made it out to be a physical impossibility. The world record for a mile was 4 minutes and 1.3 seconds, set by Gunder Hagg of Sweden in 1945. Despite, or perhaps because of, the psychological mystique surrounding the four-minute barrier, several runners in the early 1950s dedicated themselves to being the first to cross into the three-minute zone.

At 6 p.m., the starting gun was fired. In a carefully planned race, Bannister was aided by Chris Brasher, a former Cambridge runner who acted as a pacemaker. For the first half-mile, Brasher led the field, with Bannister close behind, and then another runner took up the lead and reached the three-quarter-mile mark in 3 minutes 0.4 seconds, with Bannister at 3 minutes 0.7 seconds. Bannister took the lead with about 350 yards to go and passed an unofficial timekeeper at the 1,500-meter mark in 3 minutes 43 seconds, thus equaling the world’s record for that distance. Thereafter, Bannister threw in all his reserves and broke the tape in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. As soon as the first part of his score was announced–”three minutes…”–the crowd erupted in pandemonium.

A “sub-four” is still a notable time, but top international runners now routinely accomplish the feat. Because a mile is not a metric measurement, it is not a regular track event nor featured in the Olympics. It continues, however, to be run by many top runners as a glamour event.

On May 6, 1984, Spinal Tap played a “comeback show” at CBGB’s in New York.

On May 6, 1996, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Atlanta was the most dangerous city in America.

Parliament-Funkadelic were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio on May 6, 1997.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Governor Brian Kemp yesterday took himself out of the running for the United States Senate seat held by Democrat Jon Ossoff. From the New York Times:

Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia has decided against running for Senate in 2026, robbing Republicans of their top potential recruit against Senator Jon Ossoff, who is seen as the chamber’s most vulnerable Democrat on the ballot next year.

Mr. Kemp is a popular two-term governor who won re-election in 2022 despite a primary challenge fueled by President Trump, who stewed publicly over Mr. Kemp’s refusal to indulge his false claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent.

Top Republicans had nonetheless sought to woo Mr. Kemp into the Senate race, with Senators John Thune, the majority leader, and Tim Scott, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, making a recent visit. Polls had shown he would have been a formidable challenger to Mr. Ossoff, who narrowly won election in 2020.

“I have decided that being on the ballot next year is not the right decision for me and my family,” Mr. Kemp wrote on X on Monday, saying he had spoken that day with Mr. Trump and with Senate leadership about his decision.

The news of Mr. Kemp’s decision comes as he is gathered with supporters and donors in Sea Island, Ga., for a three-day retreat where top donors have been asked to give as much as $100,000 to serve as an “executive chair.”

The fact that Mr. Kemp, 61, continues to vacuum up cash as he bypasses a Senate bid leaves open the possibility that he could seek even higher office in 2028.

Several prominent Georgia Republicans could run, especially with Mr. Kemp out of the race. The list includes Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene; Representative Mike Collins; John King, the insurance commissioner; and Tyler Harper, the agriculture commissioner, who posted a photo of himself in February at the National Republican Senatorial Committee offices.

From The Hill:

In passing on the chance to take part in what would be an ugly, expensive and uncertain effort to win back a Senate seat Republicans fumbled away six years ago, Kemp is saving himself a whole lot of aggravation and keeping his electoral record perfect for a potential 2028 presidential bid.

If Kemp had gotten in, he would have been a heavy favorite to beat incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff — but only if the governor could have gotten through a primary that may include the likes of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in a place where the state GOP electorate is error prone.

In the Senate, Republicans can afford a net loss of three seats and still hold the majority, thanks to a tiebreaking vote by Vice President Vance. And there are only two obvious pickup opportunities for the blue team, the seats held by Sen. Susan Collins in Maine and Sen. Thom Tillis in North Carolina. With a slew of Democratic retirements in competitive states — Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire — it’s very reasonable for Republicans to expect to hold on.

Down in Louisiana, Republicans are at some risk of throwing another Senate seat away as Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) prepares for what will be a predictably awful primary contest. Democrats have yet to convince former Gov. John Bel Edwards to take the plunge, but if Cassidy loses to a nutty enough candidate in the state’s newly imposed partisan primary, Republicans wouldn’t be able to take that seat for granted.

But it’s next door in Texas where things are looking the most painful for Republicans right now.

Sen. John Cornyn (R) would be an almost sure winner in a general election, but unfortunately for him and his party, Cornyn looks like he’s losing the primary to state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been beatified by the MAGA movement since surviving an impeachment for corruption in 2023.

From Politico:

Without Kemp in the race, Republicans may face an unpredictable primary that could include divisive candidates like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Kemp’s decision was a letdown for Republicans both in Washington and in Georgia.

“It’s like, wow, not necessarily the news we wanted to hear,” said former Cobb County GOP Chair Jason Shepherd.

Kemp had been seen by many Republicans as the strongest opponent to put up against Ossoff in the midterms. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll last week showed Kemp and Ossoff within the poll’s margin of error. President Donald Trump carried the state by about 2 percentage points in November, and it is a top target of Republicans.

“Obviously we’re disappointed,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune. “He would have been a great candidate. But I’ve said all along that seat’s going to be competitive, and the good news is there’s lots of interest.”

“While Jon Ossoff is running to impeach President Trump, Republicans have a number of strong candidates who can build a winning coalition to add this seat to President Trump’s Senate Majority,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez.

Kemp’s decision leaves open the possibility of a presidential campaign in 2028. Shepherd said that Kemp in recent months has been crisscrossing the state for bill signings and “utilizing his office to continue to get a positive name out there.”

From the Savannah Morning News:

However, Kemp will likely still be front and center in Georgia politics throughout the 2026 campaign cycle. In his announcement, he added that he would be working with leaders in Washington to support the eventual Republican nominee for Senate.

“I spoke with President Trump and Senate leadership earlier today and expressed my commitment to work alongside them to ensure we have a strong Republican nominee who can win next November, and ultimately be a conservative voice in the US Senate who will put hardworking Georgians first,” he said. “I am confident we will be united in that important effort, and I look forward to electing the next generation of leaders up and down the ballot here in the Peach State who will keep our state and nation headed in the right direction in 2026 and beyond.”

From the AJC:

With Kemp on the sidelines, a scramble is now underway over who will emerge as the GOP nominee in a race that could hinge on Trump, as recent polls show eroding support in Georgia for his agenda.

The decision also leaves open the possibility of a future bid by the 61-year-old Republican for the White House. The governor, who cannot seek a third term, aims to keep his political options open even as he steers clear of a Senate campaign.

Top Republicans made clear they were waiting on Kemp’s decision before launching their own bids. Now, a chain reaction is expected. Some likely contenders have already hired aides, courted donors, met with Trump advisers and taken other quiet steps to lay the groundwork for a campaign. Formal announcements could come quickly.

U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter, Mike Collins, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rich McCormick; Insurance Commissioner John King; and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger are among the potential contenders.

But none have Kemp’s combination of fundraising ability, name recognition, broad GOP support and crossover appeal. And some Republicans are already fretting about a messy GOP free-for-all — particularly if Greene, a polarizing Trump loyalist, enters a race that could be decided by middle-of-the-road voters.

They’re also wary of a repeat of 2022, when untested football legend Herschel Walker coasted to the GOP nomination only to collapse against Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock.

The AJC poll found that Ossoff holds commanding leads over three other prominent GOP figures from across the political spectrum: Greene, King and Raffensperger.

Ossoff, meanwhile, has worked aggressively to shore up his support from both reliable Democrats and the swing voters who could decide the race. He’s the only incumbent Senate Democrat running for reelection next year in a state Trump won, making him the top GOP target in 2026 — something he leans into in fundraising pitches.

The first-term Democrat helped orchestrate the ouster of U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams as state Democratic Party chair, endorsed her eventual successor in hopes of boosting the organization’s financial firepower, and amassed an $11 million fundraising haul over the first three months of the year.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, the head of the Senate’s GOP campaign arm, called Kemp his “No. 1 recruit.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune lobbied him several times, including at an April meeting in Atlanta.

With Kemp out of the race, the Republican jockeying will only intensify. King has emerged as a vocal defender of Trump’s tariffs, while Carter turned heads by introducing a measure to let the president negotiate U.S. control of Greenland and rename it “Red, White and Blueland.”

And Collins has been among the most aggressive. His allies have already sought to win Trump’s endorsement, and he’s been a constant at political events across Georgia, including a weekend rally that drew hundreds of supporters.

“All Jon Ossoff wants to talk about is resistance and impeaching President Trump,” Collins told Republicans at the Covington event. “All I want to talk about doing is delivering results that make our country great again.”