Name: Brian P. Kemp
Occupation: Governor of Georgia
Previous positions held: Served 6 years in the Oklahoma State Senate, including Chairman of the Finance Committee, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation & General Government, Vice Chair of Business & Commerce, and Assistant Majority Floor Leader
Previous positions held: I built my first business, Kemp Development and Construction Company, from the ground up with a pick-up truck and a shovel. Since then, I’ve been blessed to find success as an entrepreneur, with businesses and investments in banking, farming, timber, manufacturing, and real estate. While I was working to build these businesses, I grew frustrated with government standing in the way of its citizens’ success and ignoring their concerns. That’s why I ran for and served in the Georgia State Senate in the 2000s, then as Secretary of State from 2010-2018: to cut red tape and streamline government.
Top challenge(s) facing Georgians that you are working hard to address: In Georgia, we’re proud to be recognized as the No. 1 state for business, but we know we have to keep chopping to maintain this status. I’ve been particularly focused on bringing economic opportunity and prosperity to every corner of our state. In support of this mission, we’ve made great strides in expansion of broadband internet access to our rural areas by bringing together government at all levels with private partners. We also want these areas to have the resources they need to thrive, so we are working diligently to ensure rural healthcare is reliable and affordable across our state. We’ve increased the number of health insurance carriers, with 98 percent of Georgia’s 159 counties now offering more than one carrier, and we’re investing in bringing more healthcare workers to communities statewide.
Proudest achievement so far during your tenure as Governor: When I ran for Governor, I committed to putting hardworking Georgians first ahead of the status quo. While we’ve accomplished much in pursuit of this goal, such as raising teacher pay and cutting state income taxes, I’m most proud our state has led the nation in recovering from the economic turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2020 we found ourselves facing an uncertain future. As the facts and science evolved, so did our response as we worked to protect both lives and livelihoods. Even in the face of harsh criticism from the media and the left, we pursued a measured reopening that allowed struggling businesses to stay afloat and preserved countless jobs, as evidenced by our all-time low unemployment rate. Now, over two years later, we are well-positioned to continue growing jobs and investments statewide.
Finally, a prediction – will the Bulldogs be successful in defending their national title this season? Last year’s season was a dream come true for generations of Georgia fans. There will certainly be stiff competition to repeating from familiar foes, but I believe the Dawgs are as strong as ever. Stetson Bennett is an experienced quarterback, and I’m looking forward to seeing maybe the best tight end group ever cause opposing defenders to lose sleep all season. There’s certainly more to replace on defense, but that unit still has multiple first round talents and is more than capable of surprising the doubters. It will be tough, but we know Coach Smart will have this team ready to compete week in and week out on its way to national championship number two.
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The Ripon Forum is published six times a year by The Ripon Society, a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.
