Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday advised the Republican Party not to be distracted by former President Donald Trump’s indictment.
“For us to win the presidential race in 2024, we don’t need to be distracted,” Kemp told CBS News’ Robert Costa. “We need to be focused on the future. We need to be telling the American people what we’re for.”
Trump is facing a total of 37 counts in a federal indictment related to his alleged mishandling of over 300 classified documents after leaving the White House in January 2021, making him the first former U.S. president to be hit with federal charges. Many members of the GOP have spoken out against the indictment charges, dismissing them as politically motivated, while Trump has declared the charges to be “election interference at the highest level.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp warns GOP not to get “bogged down” in Trump indictment @CBSNews https://t.co/DtKTfgeK3S
— Robert Costa (@costareports) June 13, 2023
“President Trump has been targeted in a lot of different ways — many of them unfairly,” Kemp continued. “But also I think there’s some serious concerns in this indictment. But at the end of the day, there’s a jury that’s going to make that decision. And quite honestly, I think it’s a distraction politically. I think in some ways it’s exactly what the Democrats want.” (RELATED: Over 80% Of Republicans Believe That Trump Indictment Is Politically Motivated: POLL)
Kemp argued Republican candidates should instead be focused on issues affecting everyday Americans, such as inflation, crime and border security. “That’s really what I believe Republicans need to stay focused on, and not get bogged down in the politics of this indictment,” he told Costa.
While Kemp recently criticized Trump after the former president congratulated North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un for attaining a seat on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Executive Board, he told CBS News it was because he didn’t think “that kind of play … helps [the GOP] win in November of 2024.”
“I think any politician that’s running can be beaten and any politician that’s running can win,” Kemp said. “If you’re going to win at the end of the day in November, you better be focused on the future and you better be telling people what you’re for.”