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Governors

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Announces Gubernatorial Bid

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who gained national attention for standing up to President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, has announced his candidacy for governor. Raffensperger's decision to run comes as the state prepares for a highly competitive gubernatorial election in 2024, with several other prominent candidates already in the mix.

Key Takeaways:

  • Raffensperger's announcement video emphasizes his conservative credentials and commitment to upholding the law and Constitution, while downplaying his disputes with Trump.
  • The video focuses on Raffensperger's defense of Georgia's 2021 elections law, which added new identification requirements for mail-in voters and limited the use of drop boxes for absentee ballots.
  • Raffensperger's candidacy comes a day after former lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan, who also defied Trump after the 2020 election, announced his bid for governor as a Democrat.
  • The Republican primary includes several prominent candidates, including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who has Trump's endorsement, and Attorney General Chris Carr.
  • Raffensperger has been secretary of state since 2019, having previously served as a GOP member of the Georgia House.
  • His dispute with Trump reached a peak during an extraordinary Jan. 2, 2021, call in which Trump asked Raffensperger to "find" enough votes to make Trump the winner of the presidential election in Georgia.
  • Raffensperger's refusal to cooperate with Trump's demands made him a pariah in some parts of the Georgia GOP, with delegates at the state convention passing a resolution saying he should not be allowed to run for office as a Republican.
  • Raffensperger's announcement video also highlights his battles with President Joe Biden, who sued Georgia over the Election Integrity Act of 2021, and claims that Raffensperger "stood strong" and defended Georgia's election integrity law.

Statistics:

  • Georgia is a battleground state that Trump won in his two previous presidential campaigns, but lost in 2020.
  • The gubernatorial election is expected to be one of the most competitive statewide contests in the country in 2024.
  • Brian Kemp, the current GOP governor, is term-limited and will not seek re-election.
  • Raffensperger has been secretary of state since 2019.
  • The Republican primary includes several prominent candidates, including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Attorney General Chris Carr.
  • Raffensperger was elected as secretary of state in 2018, with 59% of the vote.
  • The 2021 Georgia elections law added new identification requirements for mail-in voters and limited the use of drop boxes for absentee ballots.

Sources:

  • "Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Announces Gubernatorial Bid" (Associated Press)
  • "Raffensperger Announces He's Running for Governor" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
  • "Georgia's Brad Raffensperger Announces Bid for Governor" (The Hill)

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