Georgia GOP Eyes 2026 Despite Bannon’s Pushback \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ At the Georgia Republican Convention, Steve Bannon urged focus on 2024, but talk of 2026 governor and Senate races dominated. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Burt Jones, and Chris Carr signaled potential bids, while Trump remained the central figure. GOP leaders rallied to unseat Senator Jon Ossoff, eyeing Georgia as crucial to retaking the Senate.
Quick Looks
- Steve Bannon urged Republicans to avoid 2026 talk and focus on Trump.
- Marjorie Taylor Greene hinted at a future run for governor.
- Greene pushed state-level issues: tax reform, mental health, school policy.
- Lt. Gov. Burt Jones strongly hinted at a gubernatorial campaign.
- AG Chris Carr quietly worked the crowd, promoting his candidacy.
- Carr positioned himself as a “Kemp Republican” focusing on core issues.
- Senate hopefuls targeted Democrat Jon Ossoff, a key 2026 seat.
- Buddy Carter and John King emphasized Trump needs Senate “backup.”
- U.S. Rep. Mike Collins said he might run, but remains undecided.
- Trump’s influence loomed large across speeches and strategies.
Deep Look
Despite Steve Bannon’s call to focus solely on re-electing Donald Trump in 2024, the future was top of mind for Georgia Republicans gathered in Dalton over the weekend. The Georgia GOP Convention, meant to unify the party under Trump’s leadership, became a platform for previewing the 2026 races for governor and U.S. Senate.
“Don’t even think about the midterms,” Bannon warned during his Friday night speech. “It’s backing President Trump right now.” His message: stay on target. But delegates and prospective candidates had different ideas.
While official business—like electing party officers and adopting the platform—carried on, conversations were clearly tilted toward Georgia’s next high-stakes election cycle. Lawmakers, strategists, and activists were already jostling for position.
Among the most watched figures was U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Though she ruled out challenging Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff directly, her speech sparked speculation about a 2026 gubernatorial bid. Greene emphasized that she’s keeping the option open, citing her strong polling and national profile. “It’s a choice,” she told the Associated Press, adding, “It’s my own, that I will talk about with my family.”
Greene’s convention speech included a suite of state-level policy proposals: abolishing Georgia’s income tax, reviving mental hospitals, removing foreign corporate incentives, and restoring “classical education” in public schools. Borrowing Trump’s rhetoric, she declared, “Make Georgia great again, for Georgia.”
Still, Greene isn’t the only Republican eyeing the Governor’s Mansion. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, one of Trump’s most loyal allies in Georgia, is widely expected to launch a gubernatorial campaign later this summer. Addressing delegates Friday, he pledged to play a major role in the next election cycle and took a subtle jab at rivals, emphasizing loyalty to Trump after 2020. “Always remember who showed up for you,” he said.
His comments were seen as a slight toward state Attorney General Chris Carr, who announced his gubernatorial candidacy in December but didn’t address the convention. Carr instead spent Friday evening at a local campaign event, focusing on face-to-face networking. Once targeted by Trump for defeat in the 2022 primaries, Carr remains confident he can win GOP support as a “proud Kemp Republican.”
Carr’s message was focused and pragmatic. “This state’s been built on agriculture, manufacturing, trade, the military, public safety,” he said. “These are the issues that Georgians care about.” His alignment with outgoing Governor Brian Kemp positions him as the more establishment-friendly option in a potentially crowded field.
On the Senate side, several Republicans made it clear that toppling Jon Ossoff is a top priority in 2026. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter delivered a sharp critique: “Jon Ossoff should not be in office at all.” Carter is already investing heavily in television advertising to boost his name recognition for a Senate run.
Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King also used his time onstage to rally support for the Senate race, emphasizing that Trump will need a strong Republican majority in his next term. “President Trump needs backup,” King said. “And that starts right here in the state of Georgia.”
Another name floated for the Senate is former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, though he did not speak at the event. In contrast, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who addressed the convention, left the door open on his candidacy. “We’re going to see how this thing plays out,” he said. “I’m not burning to be a senator, but we’ve got to take this seat back.”
Across the convention, one point unified all factions: defeating Ossoff is essential. The Georgia Senate seat, currently held by the freshman Democrat, is seen as one of the most flippable and strategically important for regaining Republican control of the Senate.
Despite Bannon’s plea to stay focused on the present, the reality is that Georgia Republicans are already deep into planning the future. With high-profile candidates testing the waters and Trump’s influence defining the narrative, the 2026 races for governor and Senate are shaping up to be intensely competitive—and critical for the GOP’s long-term ambitions.
Georgia GOP Eyes
You must Register or Login to post a comment.