Mon., January 4, 2010 2:31pm (EST)

Kemp Is New Secretary of State Pick
By Josephine Bennett
Updated: 2 years ago

ATLANTA  —  
Former state Sen. Brian Kemp is the new pick for Georgia Secretary of State.
Governor Sonny Perdue has named a former Athens State Senator as the new Secretary of State. Brian Kemp will be sworn in later this week and serve out the remainder of former Secretary of State Karen Handel's term. She stepped down last week to focus on her run for the governor's office.

Kemp's selection came as a surprise to some after Representative Jim Cole of Forsyth told reporters over the weekend that he was taking the job then changed his mind Monday. Kemp says he appreciates the governor's confidence.

"I know there was quite a process that went on and I think that at the end of the day you know he called and I'm excited about it."

Kemp will join another Republican and five Democrats to run for a full term of Secretary of State in November. He served in the State Senate from 2002 to 2006.