Brian Kemp Standing On Shaky Ground Across the Board

A new poll illustrating Brian Kemp’s weak support among Georgia Republican primary voters capped off a bad week for the vulnerable governor as he faced increased scrutiny among Georgians for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The poll, which shows Kemp one Trump-endorsed candidate away from losing his advantage in the Republican gubernatorial primary, comes as more Georgians criticize the governor for refusing to implement COVID-19 mitigation measures amid a virus surge fueled by the Delta variant and unvaccinated Georgians.

“Brian Kemp is losing support among his base and losing the patience and trust of Georgians at large more and more every day,” said Rebecca Galanti, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Georgia. “As the state of Georgia’s schools, hospitals, and public health deteriorates under Brian Kemp’s watch, it’s no wonder Georgians of all political beliefs are sick and tired of Kemp and ready for new state leadership.”

Brian Kemp’s week in review:

• Georgia hospitals are overwhelmed with patients. Georgia is one of five states with intensive care units over 90% full. Many pediatric hospitals report that more than 75% of their ICU beds are occupied by sick children, while that number is closer to 90% in some places. Grady Hospital doctors in Atlanta say the emergency room is “overrun” and describe the situation as “untenable” across the state.
• Children’s education is being disrupted as more Georgia kids get sick. At least 19 Georgia school districts and several more individual schools and classes have had to go remote or temporarily shut down due to COVID-19 outbreaks, as Kemp refuses to support COVID mitigation efforts to protect kids who are unable to get vaccinated. Georgia has the fourth-highest number of children hospitalized for COVID in the nation, as more Georgia kids are being hospitalized with COVID-19 than at any point in the pandemic. 
• Georgia mayors are slamming Kemp for jeopardizing public health even further. The mayors of Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah, and Athens penned an open letter criticizing Kemp’s executive order issued Thursday that limits local governments’ efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. Kemp’s order came as he continued to ignore growing calls from parents, hospitals, and public health officials to take steps to mitigate COVID-19 spread in Georgia.
• GOP primary voters are souring on Kemp, while Trump continues to seek revenge. A poll commissioned by Trump’s political operation found that “Brian Kemp is a weak incumbent” who stands to lose the Republican primary if Trump endorses a strong opponent such as David Perdue. The poll underscores Trump’s fixation with exacting revenge on Kemp months after Kemp refused to overturn Georgia’s presidential election results.

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