Georgia Governor Brian Kemp inauguration launches bid for Senate

This commentary is written by opinion columnist Adam Van Brimmer.

For Brian Kemp, this week’s inauguration marked his last – as Georgia’s governor, but likely not of his political career.

A term limit prevents him from leading the state beyond 2026 and will force him to seek another office. As Kemp delivered a predictable inaugural address Thursday morning, full of references to “keeping his foot on the gas,” putting “Georgians first” and at least on Bible verse, this observer kept returning to one question.

What’s next for him? U.S. Senate in 2026? The White House in 2028? And how will his future political aspirations influence how he governs over the next four years?

Kemp offered too few hints during the inauguration. The speech was devoid of partisan rhetoric beyond passing shots at federal government bureaucracy. He made no mention of culture war issues. He declined to lay out any sort of legacy initiative, as previous second-term governors, including criminal justice reform champion Nathan Deal, have. 

Kemp’s stated priorities are “safe streets, good schools and good-paying jobs” and he’s “focused on growing Georgia, not growing government.” What political mechanisms Kemp employs to achieve those goals will be tied to which office he hopes to hold next.