Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr on Thursday announced he is running for the Republican nomination for governor in 2026.
Carr confirmed filing the paperwork for his candidacy in a post to the social media platform X, where he said his campaign will seek to continue “the legacy of Brian Kemp, Nathan Deal and Sonny Perdue.”
The attorney general wrote, “I’m running to create jobs for hardworking Georgians, keep our families and our neighborhoods safe, and vigorously defend our constitution and our freedoms. Together, we will fight to keep Georgia red.”
Carr reportedly stressed his relationship with Kemp during a phone call with The Associated Press, telling the outlet, “This race isn’t going to be about how loud somebody yells or screams, it’s going to be about a conservative record.”
https://twitter.com/ChrisCarr_Ga/status/1859666303927320711
The early announcement makes Carr the first to join the race to succeed Governor Brian Kemp, who cannot seek a third term.
At the same time, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has been discussed as a potential candidate, and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones said he “might” run last year, potentially setting the stage for a three-way primary for the Republican nomination to succeed Kemp.
Though Raffensperger (pictured here) has not commented on whether he will run for governor, Georgia consultant Brian Robinson told Fox 5 Atlanta that Raffensperger’s high name recognition would make him a strong candidate, calling him “one of the most respected and trusted leaders in Georgia.”
Raffensperger is currently spearheading a national election integrity push, and this week weighed in on the refusal of Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to concede his race to Senator-elect Dave McCormick after The Associated Press called the election.
Jones (pictured here), meanwhile, said in May 2023 that he “might” run for governor, and could have a unique advantage over Carr and Raffensperger, as he was the only statewide candidate endorsed by President-elect Donald Trump to win election in Georgia during the 2022 midterms.
The lieutenant governor also released an attack ad targeting Raffensperger for his attendance record as Georgia’s Secretary of State last year.
“Since 2021, Brad Raffensperger has spent 70% of the time away from his job—missing important budget hearings, Election Integrity hearings, and literally just not showing up to work,” Jones wrote in a post to X in November 2023. “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of having a Secretary of State who has shown up to work 42 days this year and hid behind his staff to do his job while showboating on liberal TV show.”
The race for Georgia Republicans to find a replacement for Kemp begins as he was selected by the Republican Governors Association to chair the group in 2025.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Chris Carr” by Chris Carr.
