--- title: Georgia Governor's Race Shows Limits of Trump’s Power description: Gov. Brian Kemp may have just charted the course for the Republican Party to move beyond the Trump era. canonical: https://time.com/6180693/georgia-governor-race-trump/ author: Philip Elliott article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2022-05-24T17:49:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-24T14:17:54.969Z article:section: Politics og:title: Georgia Governor's Race Shows Limits of Trump’s Power og:description: Gov. Brian Kemp may have just charted the course for his Republican Party to move beyond the Trump era. og:url: https://time.com/6180693/georgia-governor-race-trump/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltabfb8a5a8d1792e3/698a322fdb29872d85267d83/brian-kemp-georgia.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: Kemp for Governor Rally with Vice President Mike Pence, Aviation Development Group Hangar, Kennesaw, GA - 23 May 2022 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Georgia Governor's Race Shows Limits of Trump’s Power twitter:description: Gov. Brian Kemp may have just charted the course for his Republican Party to move beyond the Trump era. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltabfb8a5a8d1792e3/698a322fdb29872d85267d83/brian-kemp-georgia.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Georgia's Race for Governor Shows the Limits of Trump’s Power > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=6ea5819b-0edc-4c62-ad81-22079bbed715&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=6ea5819b-0edc-4c62-ad81-22079bbed715&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=6ea5819b-0edc-4c62-ad81-22079bbed715&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=6ea5819b-0edc-4c62-ad81-22079bbed715&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1)  by [Philip Elliott](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent May 24, 2022 5:49 PM UTC  Gov. Brian Kemp address the crowd in a hanger at Cobb International Airport in Kennesaw, Ga. on May 23, 2022. Gov. Brian Kemp address the crowd in a hanger at Cobb International Airport in Kennesaw, Ga. on May 23, 2022. Matthew Pearson—Shutterstock  by [Philip Elliott](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott Senior Correspondent May 24, 2022 5:49 PM UTC _This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up_ [_here_](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/signup?nln=dc-brief&source=dc%5Fonsite) _to get stories like this sent to your inbox._ ATLANTA—Gov. Brian Kemp may have just charted the course for his Republican Party to move beyond the Trump era. The key, it turns out, may not be repudiating the former president, or even trying to emulate him, but simply framing him as a figure of the past for the party, one whose future is more focused on chasing policies that puts more cash in the pockets of all residents. In a primary season that has seen Trump [barrel](https://time.com/6173662/jd-vance-trump-ohio-win/) his [chosen](https://time.com/6178183/pennsylvania-republicans-swing-state-2024/) candidates across the finish line with surprising efficiency, Georgia’s governor’s race has emerged as the most high-profile test, one he appears likely to fail. The former president may still yet prevail in some other races here, potentially unseating Georgia’s current election chief and effectively clearing the field for his pick in a Senate race that could [hobble](https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/23/politics/georgia-republican-senate-herschel-walker/index.html) Mitch McConnell’s dreams of regaining the Majority Leader title. But Kemp appears poised to dominate the gubernatorial primary on Tuesday over David Perdue, who garnered Trump’s backing largely by [embracing](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/us/politics/perdue-kemp-georgia-trump.html) the ex-president’s false statements about the 2020 election, which Kemp refused to do during those pivotal weeks after Election Day. In fact, Kemp—whom no one can credibly mistake for a RINO—is probably best known on the national stage for two things he has rejected as governor: [Obamacare](https://www.ajc.com/news/coronavirus/washington-now-in-standoff-with-kemp-on-aca-waiver-plan/NHTC6OZKDZCJPHTI7AOIG2GQ3Q/) and the Big Lie. “I understand why he’s frustrated,” Kemp said earlier this year of Trump, in an interview with my former AP colleague Greg Bluestein, who now writes for the Atlanta _Journal-Constitution_ and has forgotten more about Georgia [politics](https://www.amazon.com/Greg-Bluestein/e/B098Q39BXD%3Fref=dbs%5Fa%5Fmng%5Frwt%5Fscns%5Fshare) than most will ever learn. “He’s a fighter. But at the end of the day, I’ve got to follow the laws of the constitution of this state and that’s exactly what I’m doing.” Trump [endorsed](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/20/us/politics/trump-endorsement-kemp.html) Kemp during his 2018 runoff and has privately [fumed](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/01/trump-thinks-desantis-owes-him-everything.html) to his aides that had Trump kept his mouth shut, Kemp would be nothing. Kemp, however, isn’t one to cave to political pressure. He didn’t last year when Major League Baseball [pulled](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mlb-pulls-all-star-game-georgia-wake-restrictive-new-voting-n1262930) its All-Star game in protest over a measure that curtailed voting rights in the state. Nor did he blink when corporate leaders [joined](https://www.axios.com/2021/03/31/georgia-voting-restrictions-microsoft-corporations) the protest, or when Hollywood [objected](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/01/hollywood-threatens-to-pull-productions-in-georgia-over-abortion-bill.html) to a state law that would have banned abortion after six weeks had it not been ruled unconstitutional. Even his political critics will acknowledge Kemp’s resolve, particularly when he finds himself in the hot seat. “We are in the fight for the soul of our state,” Kemp told supporters Monday night in a Cobb County airport hangar. It had more than echo of Joe Biden’s early campaign [theme](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/17/us/biden-trump-soul-nation-country.html) that vanquished Trump: “A battle for the soul of the nation.” Using the very construct that made Trump a one-term President is a Southern political shiv on par with “Bless your heart.” In December, Fox 5 Atlanta’s [polling](https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/new-fox-5-poll-dead-heat-between-kemp-perdue-due-to-trump-endorsement) showed a tied race between Kemp and Perdue, the Trump loyalist who lost a runoff last year to now-Sen. Jon Ossoff. The same survey last week [found](https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/new-fox-5-poll-kemp-maintains-lead-over-perdue-ahead-of-tuesday-primary) Kemp up 14 percentage points. Real Clear Politics’ polling average has him [up](https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2022/governor/ga/georgia%5Fgovernor%5Frepublican%5Fprimary-7402.html) 22 points. “Look, I don’t believe any poll right now,” Kemp told reporters Monday morning during a virtual news conference organized by his campaign ahead of his rally. Later, Kemp warned against complacency at a rally in the north Atlanta suburb of Kennesaw with former Vice President Mike Pence. That’s no small thing. [Pence](https://time.com/6180484/mike-pence-georgia-kemp-trump-2024/), who served four tortured years as Trump’s [understudy](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/13/pence-georgia-rally-kemp-00032306), very publicly [bucked](https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/trump-vs-pence-georgia-gov-race-sharpens-rivalry-between-former-running-mates/TELXMNPSJJHW3JGSWVKDFQMWIY/) his former boss by [throwing](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/05/georgia-republican-primary-mike-pence-donald-trump) his clout behind Kemp. So did other potential future presidential contenders Chris Christie, Doug Ducey, and Pete Ricketts, who all visited the state to align with Kemp—and maybe demonstrate that Trump’s dominance in the party may be a Potemkin village. Pence’s orbit is [working](https://www.axios.com/2022/05/03/pence-aide-joins-kemp-campaign-georgia) with Kemp in open defiance of the man who sent a mob to Capitol Hill to [pressure](https://people.com/politics/journalist-describes-unpublished-photos-mike-pence-hiding-jan-6/) Pence to overturn their shared 2020 loss. That’s not to say Kemp is ready to cede ground to the MAGAverse. When asked about Trump’s counter-endorsement Monday morning, he pivoted to reminding reporters that Trump and Pence had been allies for the state when Trump was in power. But implicit in the message was power held in the past, not in the present, and perhaps not in the future. “I’m very excited about where we’re going. We got the lowest unemployment rate in the history of the state, the most people ever working in the history of the state, and we’ve done a lot to help Georgians fight the 40-year-high Biden inflation that we’re seeing right now,” Kemp said, noting $1 billion in new tax refunds and a two-month suspension of the gas tax. Voters have noticed Perdue flagging, and Kemp’s team aren’t shivering in this Southern state. “There’s no momentum. The funds have stopped. It’s just not happening,” says Joe Sanchez, a 58-year-old retired firefighter from Baldwin, Ga., who stood for more than two hours on primary eve to see Kemp and Pence in Kennesaw. Kemp still needs to clear a 50% threshold to avoid a runoff, a feat Bob Heurich, a 73-year-old resident of Kennesaw, expects to happen on Tuesday. “Things are not going well for Perdue. Perdue didn’t think what would happen to him if he lost. His reputation is now shot,” he says. “He had one issue: 2020\. It’s wasting his time to run. It’s in the past, it’s history.” Whether he’s right will determine the road ahead for the Republican Party. Is it an organization defined by its continuing to litigate the 2020 election? Or does it find a way to move forward—not necessarily with a fresh cast of contenders but with a roster that at least is willing to chart a path beyond Trump’s perceived wrongs? _Make sense of what matters in Washington._ [_Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter_](https://cloud.newsletters.time.com/signup?nln=dc-brief&source=dc%5Fonsite)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6180693/georgia-governor-race-trump/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6180693/georgia-governor-race-trump/"},"headline":"Georgia's Race for Governor Shows the Limits of Trump’s Power","datePublished":"2022-05-24T17:49:40.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T14:17:54.969Z","description":"In a primary season in which many of Trump's endorsements have proven pivotal, his effort against Gov. Brian Kemp is the most high-profile test.","url":"https://time.com/6180693/georgia-governor-race-trump/","keywords":["The D.C. Brief","republicans","White House","Donald Trump","2022 Midterm Elections"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltabfb8a5a8d1792e3/698a322fdb29872d85267d83/brian-kemp-georgia.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Philip Elliott","jobTitle":"Senior Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltabfb8a5a8d1792e3/698a322fdb29872d85267d83/brian-kemp-georgia.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Kemp for Governor Rally with Vice President Mike Pence, Aviation Development Group Hangar, Kennesaw, GA - 23 May 2022","caption":"Kemp for Governor Rally with Vice President Mike Pence, Aviation Development Group Hangar, Kennesaw, GA - 23 May 2022","creditText":"Matthew Pearson—Shutterstock","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/the-dc-brief/","name":"The D.C. Brief"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6180693/georgia-governor-race-trump/","name":"Georgia's Race for Governor Shows the Limits of Trump’s Power"}}]}] ```