Jason Hopkins
Politics, Americas
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp officially announced his pick of Kelly Loeffler, a businesswoman who co-owns the Atlanta Dream, as his choice to replace outgoing GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson.
In her first speech as senator-designate, Loeffler described herself as unapologetically conservative, and vowed to support the Trump agenda.
Loeffler may face a GOP challenger in the November 2020 primary, but many national Republicans have already coalesced around her.
In a televised speech on Wednesday, Georgia GOP Gov. Brian Kemp officially announced financial executive Kelly Loeffler as his pick to be the state’s next U.S. senator.
Kemp — who has mulled over hundreds of applications in the months since Georgia Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson announced he would be stepping down — officially unveiled Loeffler as his choice on Wednesday. In a speech at the Georgia State Capitol, the governor said Loeffler would serve in the Senate as a steadfast conservative who would support the Trump agenda.
“Kelly Loeffler will stand with our president, Senator Perdue, and their allies in the House and Senate to keep America great,” Kemp said, invoking the president’s re-election slogan. “She will end this impeachment circus in Washington, and get Congress back to working for the people of our country.”
Despite Loeffler holding no prior political experience, Kemp chose her because he is betting that she will help bring female voters back into the Georgia GOP fold. Additionally, Loeffler’s strong business background was viewed as an advantage, allowing her to self-fund ahead of what will likely be a tough 2020 election cycle in the state.
Speaking for the first time as a senator-designate, Loeffler made clear her conservative bona fides.
“I’m not a career politician, or even someone who’s run for office. I’ve spent the last 25 years building businesses, taking risks, and creating jobs. I haven’t spent my life trying to get to Washington,” Loeffler said. “I’m a life-long conservative, pro-Second Amendment, pro-Trump, pro-military, and pro-wall,” she went on, which earned applause from the crowd gathered around her.
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