Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp will reportedly select businesswoman Kelly Loeffler to replace retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson as early as next week:
BREAKING: Gov. Brian Kemp plans to tap financial executive Kelly Loeffler to a U.S. Senate seat next week as he pushes to expand the Georgia GOP’s appeal to women who have fled the party in recent years. https://t.co/V193VmwLMh
— AJC (@ajc) November 29, 2019
President Trump, however, wants Gov. Kemp to select Trump supporter Rep. Doug Collins and that’s not going over well with the governor:
I stand with hardworking Georgians and @POTUS. The idea that I would appoint someone to the U.S. Senate that is NOT pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, pro-freedom, and 100% supportive of our President (and his plan to Keep America Great) is ridiculous. (1 of 2) #gapol
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) November 27, 2019
The attacks and games are absolutely absurd. Frankly, I could care less what the political establishment thinks. Happy Thanksgiving! More information after the holiday! (2 of 2) #gapol
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) November 27, 2019
The fight spilled out to Twitter, because this is 2019 and OF COURSE it did. Here’s Rep. Matt Gaetz calling out Gov. Kemp for his decision:
“The establishment” is who @realDonaldTrump helped u beat in the primary when you were down double digits.
It’s not the establishment you are screwing with your donor-induced stubbornness.
You are hurting President Trump.
You know this because he told you. https://t.co/rv0DpeChwo
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 29, 2019
Gov. Kemp, do you have any idea how absurd it is to tweet that your big push-back against the “establishment” is a donor who gave $700k plus to Mitt Romney and nothing to Trump until she wanted in the Senate?
What’s next? Appointing Michael Vick to an animal welfare task force?
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 29, 2019
But these tweets didn’t sit well with Kemp’s team. . .
.@GovKemp advisers are ready to declare war on Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a close Trump ally who is critical of his decision not to pick Rep. Doug Collins for an open US Senate seat. #gapol #gasen https://t.co/IF2O2W2E1U https://t.co/Ly6PkRspnn
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) November 29, 2019
Here’s Kemp adviser Ryan Matthew Mahoney saying Rep. Gaetz and his “tight, acid-washed jean shorts” can’t cut it in South Georgia:
Highly doubt @mattgaetz will get the invite to @BrianKempGA’s feral hog hunt with Gov. @RonDeSantisFL. Self-serving politicians who wear tight, acid-washed jean shorts and cowardly hide behind their keyboard can’t cut it in South Georgia. #gapol
— Ryan Matthew Mahoney (@Ryan_Mahoney) November 29, 2019
Gaetz’s reply:
You all begged for @realDonaldTrump’s support.
Now, you are directly acting in contravention to his request.
And you think attacking the clothing of the President’s defenders in Congress is your next best play.
You aren’t good at this. https://t.co/GTJyPQq08z
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 29, 2019
And the, this: “Inquiring minds want to know if you prefer flat front jorts, pleated jorts, or cargo jorts with room to put all of your Legos, Pokémon cards, and jellybeans”:
Inquiring minds want to know if you prefer flat front jorts, pleated jorts, or cargo jorts with room to put all of your Legos, Pokémon cards, and jellybeans. Oh…and mind your own business. We don’t know you and we don’t care what you think. #gapol https://t.co/3lA20lDjR9
— Ryan Matthew Mahoney (@Ryan_Mahoney) November 29, 2019
Rep. Gaetz took the insults in stride:
(1) definitely cargo.
(2) I can tell how unrattled you are based on the scurrying of @BrianKempGA’s coms director, press secretary and political consultants.
(3) legos and jellybeans are awesome; your Senate pick isn’t. https://t.co/XZHz0ldTLT
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 29, 2019
Well, next week should be . . . interesting? Is that the correct word?
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