U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter is once again dipping into his personal fortune to bolster his Senate campaign — and, just as importantly, to win over President Donald Trump.
His campaign said Wednesday he’s devoting another ad buy of more than $1 million to the race. That comes on top of the $2 million Carter lent his campaign back in July.
In a “Politically Georgia” interview, Carter argued he was the only Republican who could defeat Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and framed himself as a better pick for Trump than his two main GOP rivals: U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley.
That includes his full-throated support for Trump’s federal tax and spending overhaul, his push to deploy National Guard troops in Democratic-led cities, and his attempt to fire Georgia native Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board.
And while his campaign dismissed Gov. Brian Kemp’s support for Dooley — saying Trump’s is the “only endorsement that matters in Georgia” — Carter is intensifying his effort to win over the president.
Here’s the interview, lightly edited for clarity:
On winning Trump’s support:
“It’s pretty obvious that after Georgians overwhelmingly elected Donald Trump president last year that his endorsement is the most powerful endorsement ever in politics. … We intend to get that endorsement. It’s going to be one of the things that carries us across the finish line.”
On how much of his personal wealth he’ll put into the race:
“I’m not going to put any figure on it, but this is … very important to me and very important to my family. We’ve been very, very blessed. There’s no question about that. And we’re going to use the resources that we have.”
On abortion:
“The Supreme Court has ruled on that. And there’s no need to second-guess the Supreme Court on this. They’ve ruled on it. Look, I’m pro-life. There’s no question about that. … And I remain unapologetically pro-life.”
On Georgia’s 2019 anti-abortion law:
“The Supreme Court has ruled that this is a state issue. And if I had been in the state Legislature back when the heartbeat bill was being voted on, I would have voted for it. Absolutely.”
On a pathway to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally:
“President Trump’s been very clear about this. He’s making sure that we’re ridding our streets of these criminals. … Now we’ve got a big task of getting these people back to where they belong. … If you’re here illegally, go back to where you once were from.”
On deploying the National Guard in Democratic-led cities:
“I believe the president is spot-on about this. Americans want safer streets. All Americans want that, whether you are Black, white or Hispanic, you don’t care. You just want your streets to be safe. And why shouldn’t we have the right to walk down the sidewalk without being accosted by someone? Every American deserves that, right?”
On his call for Trump to win the Nobel Peace Prize:
“This president is the greatest negotiator of all time. This is why I have nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize, because he deserves it. Look at what he’s done in Iran. Look at what he’s done in the Middle East. Look at what he’s trying to do in Ukraine and in Russia. No one else could do that like he can.”
On whether Trump has the legal authority to fire Cook:
“I’ve got legislation that will clear that up real quickly. I’ve got legislation that will give him the right to fire the chairman of the Federal Reserve, and it will clear up any uncertainties whatsoever on whether he could or whether he can and whether he should.”
Credit: AJC, courtesy photo
Credit: AJC, courtesy photo
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