Kemp To Announce Senate Appointment Wednesday

After months of speculation, hundreds of resumes submitted and a holiday weekend Twitter war mentioning jellybeans and jorts, Gov. Brian Kemp is set to finally announce who Georgia’s next U.S. Senator will be.

Kemp will be joined by members of Georgia’s Congressional delegation, state lawmakers and party leaders, grassroots activists and his appointee at 10 a.m. Wednesday in his ceremonial office.

His likely choice is Atlanta businesswoman Kelly Loeffler, co-owner of the Atlanta Dream WNBA team and CEO of bitcoin futures trading firm Bakkt. 

The appointment of Loeffler would be the latest in a series of non-traditional and diverse appointments the first-year governor has made, including the first Hispanic statewide officeholder, the first black women to serve as Cobb County district attorney and three LGBTQ appointees to state boards. 

Kemp’s formal announcement will come a day after Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson delivers his farewell address to the Senate. The appointment is to replace Isakson and finish out the final three years of his term – if that person wins a so-called “jungle primary” special election next November.

The governor’s office has been criticized by several conservative groups and voices inside and outside of Georgia for not going with Gainesville Rep. Doug Collins, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee.

Collins, a staunch defender of President Trump throughout the Mueller investigation and now the impeachment inquiry, represents the largest chunk of Republican primary voters in the state and was pushed by Trump and other vocal allies to be appointed. 

Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz kicked off a flurry of activity on Twitter when he suggested that Kemp should be challenged in the 2022 primary because of his impending selection. 

.@realDonaldTrump told you how to be supportive: Appoint @RepDougCollins.

You are ignoring his request because you THINK you know better than @POTUS.

If you substitute your judgement for the President’s, maybe you need a primary in 2022. Let’s see if you can win one w/o Trump https://t.co/vtjT4CyLMI— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 29, 2019

Kemp’s inner circle was quick to defend the qualities of their to-be-named appointment, including this salvo from advisor Ryan Mahoney:

Inquiring minds want to know if you prefer flat front jorts, pleated jorts, or cargo jorts with room to put all of your Legos, Pokémon cards, and jellybeans. Oh...and mind your own business. We don’t know you and we don’t care what you think. #gapol https://t.co/3lA20lDjR9— Ryan Matthew Mahoney (@Ryan_Mahoney) November 29, 2019

On Monday, conservative commentator Sean Hannity asked both his radio and television audiences to call the governor’s office and ask why Kemp was not appointing Collins and to appear on his show.

Both U.S. Senate seats will be on the ballot next year, as well as every House race and the presidential contest.