John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor

John Kennedy is joining a increasing tract of GOP candidates seeking to go the state’s adjacent lieutenant politician successful 2026

ATLANTA -- John Kennedy, the top-ranking Republican successful Georgia's authorities Senate, connected Monday joined a increasing tract of GOP candidates seeking to go the state's adjacent lieutenant politician successful 2026.

Kennedy, a Macon lawyer, is banking connected the enactment of Georgia's concern assemblage aft helping walk a instrumentality this twelvemonth limiting lawsuits and civilian verdicts.

Burt Jones, the existent Republican lieutenant governor, is expected to tally for governor adjacent twelvemonth alternatively of seeking reelection. He's could denote his candidacy aboriginal this summer.

Kennedy was archetypal elected to the authorities Senate successful 2014. Majority Republicans elected him president pro tem, the No. 2 presumption successful the Senate, successful 2023. Before that, Kennedy had been seat of the bulk caucus and led the redrawing of legislative and legislature districts aft the 2020 Census, securing Republican majorities.

Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch of Dahlonega announced past month that helium is moving for lieutenant governor, saying helium would exemplary his candidacy connected President Donald Trump. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery of Vidalia is raising wealth for a imaginable bid. Other Republicans could question the bureau arsenic well, including authorities Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming.

Kennedy didn't notation Trump successful his announcement, saying his apical priorities arsenic lieutenant politician would beryllium a beardown economy, acquisition and nationalist safety.

“Georgians tin beryllium assured that my enactment volition beryllium focused connected delivering blimpish results, not bare rhetoric,” Kennedy said successful a statement. “And I cognize that by moving together, we volition support Georgia growing, support Georgia learning and support Georgia safe.”

This year, Kennedy sponsored a instrumentality that is meant to curb the fig of pupil absences successful schools.

Like the onetime president, Kennedy's initials are JFK. But this 59-year-old Kennedy, calved little than 2 years aft the president was assassinated, is unrelated and bears the mediate sanction of Flanders.

Georgia’s lieutenant politician presides implicit Senate sessions, but senators determine however overmuch powerfulness the authoritative has. When senators agree, lieutenant governors tin beryllium influential. As president pro tem, Kennedy already works with Jones to acceptable the docket for the Senate.

On the Democratic side, the lone declared campaigner is state Sen. Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs.

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