Former President Donald Trump is embracing one of his biggest Republican enemies as polls in a key battleground state show that he is in danger of losing to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump launched a crusade against Georgia Governor Brian Kemp after the state legally certified President Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election, having demanded that Kemp and other Republican Georgia officials overturn the result. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Kemp as “disloyal” and referred to him as “little Brian Kemp.”
Polls showed President Joe Biden, who won Georgia by fewer than 12,000 votes in 2020, trailing Trump by significant margins in the months before he dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris on July 21. The polling picture has since dramatically shifted, with FiveThirtyEight’s latest average of recent polls showing Trump leading Harris in the state by just 0.5 percent.
Kemp continued to back Trump even while the former president launched a series of often personal insults against him and his family as recently as earlier this month. However, on Thursday, Trump abruptly changed his tune about the Georgia governor in a Truth Social post, thanking him for his “help and support.”
“Thank you to #BrianKempGA for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country,” Trump wrote. “I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Newsweek reached out for comment to the offices of Kemp and Trump via email on Thursday night.
Reactions to Trump’s turnaround were mixed, although many of the former president’s supporters praised the move on X, formerly Twitter, where the post was also shared.
“Let’s go!!” wrote Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
“Thank you for saying this Trump,” pro-Trump influencer and January 6 Capitol attack defendant Philip Anderson wrote. “Making MAGA into the image of unity is what is needed. And tomorrow you will officially become a campaign of unity when you absorb RFK Jr. into your campaign and administration. THIS IS THE WAY.”
Thank you for saying this Trump
Making MAGA into the image of unity is what is needed. And tomorrow you will officially become a campaign of unity when you absorb RFK Jr. into your campaign and administration.
THIS IS THE WAY
— Philip Anderson (@VoteHarrisOut) August 23, 2024
Some suggested that Kemp and Trump had secretly come to an agreement to overturn the election results if he loses again in November.
“Sounds like someone has had a conversation and this year won’t turn out like 2020!!” wrote @SaltyGoat17.
Sounds like someone has had a conversation and this year won’t turn out like 2020!!
— SaltyGoat (@SaltyGoat17) August 23, 2024
“It’s amazing that you got Kemp to fold like a camping tent. He must do his job to secure the 2024 election, unlike 2020,” @BehizyTweets wrote.
It’s amazing that you got Kemp to fold like a camping tent. He must do his job to secure the 2024 election, unlike 2020
— George (@BehizyTweets) August 23, 2024
Others suggested that Trump’s account had been hacked or accused the former president of desperation due to his recent slippage in the polls.
“Hey @elonmusk,” wrote @gummibear737. “Trump just got hacked!!!”
“Polling must be really bad,” @MTF_Tweets wrote. “Can’t wait until you lose and head to jail.”
Polling must be really bad.
Can’t wait until you lose and head to jail.
— Missing the Forest (@MTF_Tweets) August 23, 2024
“How’s our polling in Georgia, Donnie?” wrote the Blue Georgia account.
How’s our polling in Georgia, Donnie?
— Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) August 23, 2024
Both Kemp and fellow Trump adversary Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, whom the ex-president famously asked to help “find” him enough votes to win after losing in 2020, were reelected in 2022 despite Trump endorsing other Republican candidates in an attempt to eliminate them in primary elections.
The post Donald Trump Embraces Enemy as He Slips in Key Swing State appeared first on Newsweek.
