(SRN NEWS/AP) – Georgia’s Republican attorney general, Chris Carr, said Thursday that he’s running for governor in 2026, becoming the first major candidate from either party to announce a bid.
Prominent Republicans and Democrats are eyeing the seat, which will be open in two years after term-limited Republican Gov. Brian Kemp leaves the office. Other potential Republican contenders include Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, while the Democratic field is less well-defined.
Carr is portraying himself as the best candidate to continue steady Republican leadership in the mold of the late U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, former Gov. Nathan Deal and Kemp.
“I’ve seen what it takes to be successful,” Carr told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “And I want to run as the proven conservative who will create jobs for hardworking Georgians, keep our families and neighborhoods safe and vigorously defend our Constitution and freedoms.”
Carr has aligned closely with Kemp but could face opposition from President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters in a primary election. Jones has been close to Trump and would likely angle for his endorsement. By contrast, Trump endorsed primary opponents who ultimately lost to both Carr and Raffensperger in 2022, fueled by his displeasure that neither Carr nor Raffensperger backed Trump’s attempts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss in Georgia.
Carr said he was confident that he could win on issues and appeal to enough voters to win a Republican primary, despite his past differences with Trump.
The full story here: Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr launches Republican bid in 2026 governor’s race – SRN News