Graham implores Trump and Georgia governor to ‘repair the damage’

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) weighed successful Sunday connected nan feud betwixt Donald Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, urging nan Republicans to “repair nan damage” and attraction connected winning nan cardinal plaything state.

“Georgia is location for nan taking. I deliberation Gov. Kemp was a awesome governor, lowering taxes, little regulation. I deliberation if you voted for Kemp and you want to ballot for Harris, that makes nary sense,” Graham told big Jacqui Heinrich connected “Fox News Sunday.” “If we win, we’re going to spell good connected our measurement to winning 270 electoral votes. If we suffer Georgia, it could beryllium a very agelong night.”

On Saturday, Trump launched a bid of individual attacks against Kemp connected societal media and during his run rally successful Atlanta, calling nan celebrated GOP politician a “bad guy,” “disloyal” and “very mean governor.” He accused Kemp of interfering pinch his efforts to triumph successful Georgia, echoing immoderate of nan claims cardinal to his criminal indictment successful Fulton County complete his attempts to subvert nan 2020 predetermination results.

Kemp deed backmost astatine Trump successful a post connected X but stopped short of rescinding his support for nan erstwhile president, who successful 2018 endorsed nan then-candidate for politician but successful 2022 backed Kemp superior challenger David Perdue.

The play speech revitalized Trump’s long-standing frustrations pinch Kemp for refusing to cooperate successful his efforts to overturn his nonaccomplishment successful Georgia and near immoderate Republicans worried astir his uncertain prospects successful nan battleground state.

Graham directed his connection connected Sunday straight to Trump, praising him for what he described arsenic an “incredible presidency” for nan federation and Georgia while reminding nan Republican nominee of nan party’s cardinal extremity successful November.

“Mr. President, this is your predetermination to lose. It’s important you triumph to reset a surgery separator and get nan world successful bully order,” Graham said. “Let’s triumph this election, really astir that? Let’s triumph an predetermination we can't spend to lose.”

Though he was not indicted, nan South Carolina legislator was 1 of galore Trump friends for which a typical expansive assemblage had recommended criminal indictments arsenic portion of nan racketeering charges brought against nan erstwhile president and 18 alleged co-conspirators successful 2023. After nan 2020 election, Graham called Georgia authorities officials amid an ongoing recount of votes successful nan state. He tried to artifact a lawsuit from Atlanta-area prosecutors by taking his situation to nan Supreme Court, though nan justices denied his bid and he ended up testifying earlier nan typical expansive jury.

Since President Joe Biden dropped retired of nan race, polls person shown Trump’s lead diminishing nationally and successful battleground states. Harris’ stronger numbers among Black and Latino voters could thief prop her up successful nan Sun Belt, including successful Georgia. Days earlier Trump’s rally successful Atlanta, Harris rallied her supporters astatine nan aforesaid venue pinch a crowd her run estimated astatine 10,000.

Also rubbing connected Trump and Kemp’s spat, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) told CBS’ “Face nan Nation” connected Sunday that astir of Trump’s reside Saturday went aft Vice President Kamala Harris, not Kemp.

“So evidently they person their differences, but we’re each agreed successful our request to extremity Kamala Harris,” Cotton said of Trump and Kemp.