Kemp embarks on tour of hurricane-hit southwest Georgia

Republican Brian Kemp embarked on a flyaround tour of southwest Georgia on Saturday to visit parts of the state devastated by Hurricane Michael.

The secretary of state’s visits are designed to help local officials prepare for the start of early voting on Monday, though he hopes they will also boost his campaign for governor by showing him responding to the storms.

His stops include trips to Leesburg, Albany, Donalsonville, Colquitt and Blakely and he will meet with local elections and law enforcement officials st each.

He said in a statement it was “critical to assess the storm’s impact on Georgia’s election infrastructure” and that the best way to do that is to see firsthand the extent of the damage.

“Once I meet with local leaders,” he added, “I will have a better understanding of their needs and work with federal, state, and local partners to deploy the necessary resources to these areas.”

The area is likely to get more high-profile attention. Gov. Nathan Deal told reporters on Friday that President Donald Trump is likely to visit to tour the damage from the storm early next week.