When Georgia governor Brian Kemp had announced Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler as his choice to replace the retiring Johnny Isakson in the United States Senate, that decision would not come without pushback to Kemp’s right – including the president’s supporters.
After all, that section of the Republican party both inside and outside of the Peach State would surely criticize Loeffler for her WNBA work. After all, WNBA teams such as the Seattle Storm and New York Liberty have supported Planned Parenthood and one of the WNBPA’s advocacy board members is Stacey Abrams, who nearly defeated Kemp in Georgia’s 2018 gubernatorial election.
Doug Collins, who many to Kemp’s right believe should have been the Georgia governor’s pick to replace Isakson made it official in a Wednesday television interview that he is a suitor to represent the Empire State of the South in Congress’ upper chamber.
Collins currently represents Georgia’s ninth congressional district which includes the northeastern part of the state, his hometown of Gainesville and parts of Athens.
It is believed that Loeffler’s appointment to the Senate was done to bolster Republicans’ chances in future Georgia elections. The northern Atlanta suburbs, notably Cobb and Gwinnett counties (traditional GOP strongholds) have trended blue in previous elections. Hillary Clinton won both counties in 2016 and Abrams did the same (by wider margins) in 2018.
Loeffler has done plenty in an effort to make her a more viable candidate among those that may feel she is not cut out for the job of supporting the president.
The House’s impeachment process was flawed from the start. @POTUS was denied the opportunity to defend himself and the entire proceeding devolved into a circus. #gapolhttps://t.co/Zx22RbX2if
— Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) January 26, 2020
One thing I know Georgians are tired of hearing about? Impeachment.
That’s why I’m focusing on what matters: pro-economy, pro-farmer, pro-woman initiatives — just to name a few.
Looking forward to another exciting day tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/eL2qGqKYe8
— Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) January 29, 2020
Impeachment should be a transparent, impartial, and fair process. Sadly, it’s being used as a campaign tool for sore losers who want to overturn the 2016 election. It’s time to end the partisan games and let the voters decide for themselves in November. #gapol
— Senator Kelly Loeffler (@SenatorLoeffler) January 26, 2020
She has donated lots of money to Republican campaigns in the past, including $750,000 to Mitt Romney in his unsuccessful 2012 bid to unseat Barack Obama from the White House.
Collins’ intend to campaign for the seat did draw the ire of the GOP’s own Senatorial campaign arm.
NRSC comes out firing on Doug Collins:
“The shortsightedness in this decision is stunning. Doug Collins’ selfishness will hurt David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, and President Trump.”
Says he has “put two senate seats, multiple house seats, and Georgia’s 16 electoral votes in play.”
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 29, 2020
All of that will be determined in November’s elections. For that Georgia senate seat, Collins, Loeffler, a Democrat named Matt Lieberman and others will be on the ballot for a special election to decide who will serve the remainder of Isakson’s term, which expires in 2022.
