Trump says he was ‘very close’ to winning Georgia in 2020; sets aside feud with Kemp

**Donald Trump shakes hands with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp after speaking at a temporary relief shelter in Evans, Ga., on Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)**

**By The Associated Press**  

After resolving their differences privately, Donald Trump and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp showcased their newfound camaraderie in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The former president praised Kemp, a fellow Republican he had criticized just months prior, promising to support the state if he returns to the White House.

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, and Kemp, a popular second-term governor, appeared near Augusta to highlight recovery efforts after the hurricane caused significant damage in Florida and moved inland through Georgia.

“I want to thank President Trump for coming back to our state a second time and keeping the national focus on our recovery,” Kemp stated, as Trump stood silently beside him, surrounded by relief supplies.

Their joint appearance in Evans lacked the animosity that characterized their relationship since November 2020, when Trump falsely claimed he had defeated Democrat Joe Biden and criticized Kemp for not helping him overturn the election results.

Prior to addressing reporters, Trump and Kemp met privately. Trump seemed to acknowledge his loss in Georgia during the 2020 election, saying, “I won it easily in 2016. We actually were very close last time.” He claimed to have a seven-point lead in current Georgia polls, adding, “I think we’re pretty far up, and we seem to be going up while she (Vice President Kamala Harris) seems to be going down.”

According to Politico, recent polls show Trump leading Harris by about 1 percentage point in Georgia, a margin that is within the error range.

Trump was joined by key campaign advisors, Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, as well as his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, who serves as his chosen co-chair for the Republican National Committee.

Once in front of cameras, Trump praised Kemp’s performance, calling him a “fantastic” governor and commending Georgia’s storm response. However, he later contradicted this praise by repeating false claims that the Biden administration had been unresponsive to the crisis.

Earlier in the week, Trump alleged that Biden had not contacted Kemp, but Kemp confirmed that Biden personally called him, offering assistance. “I missed him and called him right back,” Kemp recounted. “He just said, ‘Hey, what do you need?’”

During the Evans event, Kemp did not take questions from reporters, avoiding potential contradictions to Trump’s statements. After Trump began taking questions, Kemp had already left the pavilion.

Kemp did note that the federal government approved all of his disaster declarations for Georgia counties, which is necessary for federal reimbursement for storm recovery. He anticipated that more counties would be added to the list.

After Trump left, National Guard members were seen dismantling the backdrop of supplies from the event.

As recently as August, Trump had publicly criticized Kemp and even accused Georgia's first lady, Marty Kemp, of undermining the Republican Party. Despite this, Kemp had been consistently stating his support for the Republican ticket without specifically naming Trump.

The tension between the two raised concerns among Republicans about potential division that could mirror the circumstances of 2020, when Biden won Georgia by fewer than 12,000 votes out of 5 million cast.

Efforts to mend their relationship were facilitated by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Trump’s running mate, JD Vance. Kemp eventually stated in a cable news interview that he supported Trump’s campaign, and Trump reciprocated with praise on social media. Not long after, Vance and Kemp spoke at a Faith & Freedom Coalition gala in Georgia, where they met privately.

While Kemp called for Trump’s return to the White House during his speech at the gala, he primarily focused on criticizing Democratic nominee Kamala Harris rather than extolling Trump.

Marty Kemp did not join her husband and Trump at the Evans event.