When he was governor, Sonny Perdue liked to tell Georgians that he was a businessman long before he was a politician. That attribute appealed to President Donald Trump, who nominated Perdue to be his agriculture secretary.

The former governor’s cousin, U.S. Sen. David Perdue, built his fortune as a corporate turnaround specialist, helping revive struggling companies like Dollar General.

But a business venture by the politically powerful cousins ended badly in 2015, leaving behind millions of dollars in debts and thousands of dollars in delinquent taxes, according to a review of records by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Read the full story at myajc.com

Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is a leading contender to serve as Donald Trump’s agriculture secretary

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Carleigh Knight (left) and her sister, Natalie Rogovin, look at Christmas ornaments while shopping at Kudzu Antiques + Modern in Decatur on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller