Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King dropped out of the U.S. Senate race Thursday after a private meeting with Gov. Brian Kemp, ending his bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff about two months after launching his campaign.
King made the decision to suspend his campaign after Kemp told him he was throwing his support behind former football coach Derek Dooley, a longtime ally and family friend who is preparing to enter the crowded Republican primary race.
The meeting was part of a behind-the-scenes effort by Kemp to lay the groundwork for Dooley’s campaign. Kemp also called Republican U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins — other Dooley rivals — to tell them he won’t support their campaigns.
The pressure campaign underscores Kemp’s desire to avoid a messy GOP brawl in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races and his effort to prevent another proxy fight with President Donald Trump, with whom he’s consulted several times in hopes of rallying behind a consensus candidate.
Carter, who has promised to self-finance his own campaign, pledged on Thursday to remain in the race.
“Politicians don’t elect our Senators — the people of Georgia do," he said.
King said Thursday he is instead running for reelection as the state’s top insurance official.
“Right now it’s clear there’s little path forward to the nomination, so today I’m suspending my campaign,” King said in a post on X.
Kemp’s push to clear the field comes as Dooley, a longtime Kemp ally, prepares to enter the Republican primary to challenge Ossoff.
In his private meeting with King, Kemp cited the commissioner’s sluggish fundraising and limited traction, according to multiple people familiar with the talks.
Kemp also called Collins, who is expected to enter the race within days, Thursday to deliver a similar message about his support for Dooley. The conversation was described as cordial, with Collins reminding Kemp of his past support and saying he was confident the party would unite around his campaign. Collins spent the weekend lining up endorsements for his expected announcement.
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC
A brief run
King entered the race in May with a compelling personal story and a tough-on-crime message. The first Hispanic elected to statewide political office in Georgia, King leaned on his background as a combat veteran and former Atlanta police officer to frame himself as a tested leader.
“It’s time for a change. I’ve led troops in combat, been blown up by an IED in Iraq, and been shot and stabbed in the line of duty as a cop,” King said. “A tough campaign doesn’t scare me. Giving Jon Ossoff six more years in the Senate does.”
Kemp and King have worked closely since the governor appointed him to the insurance commissioner post in 2019 to succeed Jim Beck, who was convicted of charges he swindled his former employer. King was elected to a full term in 2022, demolishing a Trump-backed primary challenger.
King tried to bridge the gap between Trump’s MAGA base and the more mainstream establishment. He frequently praised Kemp’s agenda while also campaigning at Trump rallies and embracing the president’s “America First” policies.
King struggled to gain traction in the Senate race. He lacked the financial resources of Carter, a wealthy pharmacist who has already booked millions in airtime and promised to invest at least $10 million of his own money in the race.
Kemp has urged major GOP donors to hold off until he and Trump can rally behind a single contender — but that prospect is dimming.
The GOP primary threatens to reopen old party rifts if Kemp and Trump don’t get behind the same candidate. The two have discussed the race several times, and some Republicans hope they’ll find common ground to avoid bruising internal fights that dominated past GOP campaigns.
For now, Ossoff is positioning himself as ready for any challenger. He’s raised more than $15 million for his reelection campaign and has warned that no matter who the GOP nominates, the race will be a referendum on Trump’s agenda.
Dooley’s campaign is touting his outsider credentials and crossover appeal. Several of Kemp’s top advisers have already signed on to his team, giving the former coach instant credibility with party insiders. Still, some Republicans are uneasy.
Dooley has never run for office, has never been an outspoken supporter of Trump or his politics and has said little about his policy positions — raising doubts about how he’d fare in a high-stakes, high-dollar campaign.
Democrats are already highlighting Dooley’s spotty voting record, which includes several skipped GOP primaries in recent elections, while blasting him as a “former mediocre Tennessee football coach.”
Credit: AJC file photos
Credit: AJC file photos
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