Vice President Mike Pence will headline a rally for Secretary of State Brian Kemp's campaign for governor in Macon on Saturday, giving the Republican another boost ahead of next week's runoff against Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.
Two people with direct knowledge of the event told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution of the plans. Pence’s office later confirmed the report.
The plans developed a day after President Donald Trump offered a surprise endorsement for the candidate, who faces Cagle in Tuesday's vote. The winner faces Democrat Stacey Abrams in November.
The middle Georgia area surrounding Macon has been targeted by the Kemp campaign as a key pickup opportunity in the lead-up to next week’s runoff. Cagle carried Bibb County in May’s primary with 35 percent of the vote, compared to Kemp’s 26 percent.
The vice president has become a frequent presence in Georgia, stumping for Trump during the 2016 campaign and Karen Handel's bid for the 6th Congressional District. He also recently quarterbacked an event touting the GOP tax bill and visited Savannah's St. Patrick's Day Festival.
Pence also has another connection to Georgia. His top aide, Nick Ayers, is a Georgia native who was an adviser to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and his first-cousin, U.S. Sen. David Perdue.
More recent AJC coverage of the Georgia governor’s race:
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