Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to pass on a Senate bid has top Republican officials scrambling to find a backup plan and avoid a divisive primary — or, at the very least, one divisive candidate.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was widely seen as the favorite to challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., on the Republican ticket, potentially widening GOP control of the Senate. The governor said, however,

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was the Senate GOP’s “No. 1 recruit” for the 2026 election cycle. The Republican governor said no anyway.