Former Senator David Perdue set to announce primary challenge against Georgia Governor Brian Kemp - CBS News

Former Georgia Republican Senator David Perdue is expected to soon launch a bid for governor of Georgia, according to a source familiar with the matter, setting up a high-stakes primary challenge against incumbent Republican Governor Brian Kemp. .

Trump has encouraged a strong primary challenger to enter the race and floated Perdue's name at a Georgia rally in September. .

"Are you going to run for governor David Perdue?" Mr.

"I'm concerned about the state of our state," Perdue told a talk radio show in Georgia last month.

The primary campaign will likely divide many Georgia Republicans ahead of the high-profile gubernatorial and U.S.

Former Georgia state representative Vernon Jones, who used to be a Democrat but switched parties, and educator Kandiss Taylor are also challenging Kemp. 

In a statement on Sunday, Kemp campaign communications director Cody Hall said, "Perdue's only reason for running is to soothe his own bruised ego."

"The man who lost Republicans the United States Senate and brought the last year of skyrocketing inflation, open borders, runaway government spending, and woke cancel culture upon the American people now wants to lose the Georgia governor's office to the national face of the radical left movement," Hall said

"Governor Kemp has a proven track record of fighting the radical left to put hardworking Georgians first, while Perdue is best known for ducking debates, padding his stock portfolio during a pandemic, and losing winnable races." 

At a conference in Arizona last month, Republican Governors Association Chair Doug Ducey was asked about the potential Perdue primary challenge and said, "the RGA is in the business, of course, of supporting our incumbents and ultimately electing Republican governors." Ducey added that decisions will be made "race by race" for how to use resources, but said that the RGA won't attack other Republicans.