McCarthy to headline Georgia GOP’s October fundraiser

In this photo from June 23, 2021, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks at a press conference about COVID-19 and China. McCarthy opposed forming an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. (Michael Brochstein/ZUMA Wire/TNS)

Credit: TNS

Credit: TNS

In this photo from June 23, 2021, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks at a press conference about COVID-19 and China. McCarthy opposed forming an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. (Michael Brochstein/ZUMA Wire/TNS)

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy will headline the Georgia GOP’s fall fundraising gala next month as the party looks to rebuild its bank account ahead of pivotal 2022 elections for U.S. Senate and statewide offices.

McCarthy said he’ll address the Oct. 28 Chairman’s Dinner in Atlanta about the party’s goal to flip the U.S. House, which Democrats control with a slim majority. With redistricting underway, Republicans are expected to draw friendlier political boundaries in Georgia and several other GOP-controlled states to give them an edge.

The California Republican has already pumped $150,000 from his joint fundraising committee into the state party’s coffers this year. It will be his second trip to metro Atlanta, following a May visit to Cobb County where he assailed Major League Baseball’s decision to yank the All-Star game.

After an epic 2020 election cycle, Georgia remains a premier political battleground. Republicans aim to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, who is up for a full six-year term after he and Jon Ossoff swept the January runoffs to flip control of the Senate.

Every statewide constitutional office is also up for grabs, topped by Gov. Brian Kemp’s bid for another term. And Republicans aim to take back at least one of the suburban U.S. House seats that were won by Democrats in the past two elections, though it’s still not clear how the districts will take shape.

McCarthy, the House GOP leader since 2019, has embarked on an aggressive national fundraising tour as he navigates a partisan ecosystem still dominated by former President Donald Trump. He’s sought to patch up his strained ties with Trump while vowing to block President Joe Biden’s legislative priorities.

McCarthy’s political director, Brian Jack, is a native of metro Atlanta who previously was a key Trump deputy.