Perdue’s ambition has now led him to embrace the man who cost him his Senate seat, apparently deciding that it’s better to switch than fight. Perdue, in his announcement video, said Kemp’s refusal to bow to Trump’s pressure is why Republicans lost the Senate runoff. Perdue also took aim at Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who also refused to bow to Trump’s demands and certified the November election results. Trump is expected to reward Perdue for his fealty with an endorsement soon, thereby making clear that Perdue is his vassal.

Republicans should back Kemp in this unnecessary race. Kemp has been a standard conservative in office, signing income tax cuts in 2019 and 2021. He signed a bill banning local efforts to defund the police and is a staunch Second Amendment supporter. Kemp also signed a bill in 2019 that would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Enforcement of that bill has been blocked since its passage because it conflicts with Roe v. Wade, but would go into effect should the Supreme Court overturn that decision, as many now expect. Perdue’s announcement didn’t mention one instance of Kemp not supporting the conservative agenda. That’s probably because he can’t find any.

Independents concerned about our democracy should also back Kemp in the Republican primary. Kemp and Raffensperger are the national poster children for Republican refusal to kowtow to Trump’s unconscionable demands. If they lose their bids for reelection, Republican officeholders across the country will reassess whether they could withstand similar onslaughts.