Career Timeline of Brian Kemp: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Brian Kemp, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Brian Kemp is the current governor of Georgia, serving since 2019. A Republican, he previously served as Georgia's Secretary of State from 2010 to 2018 and as a state senator from 2003 to 2007. Notably, he is the first Republican elected governor of Georgia since Reconstruction without a prior affiliation to the Democratic Party.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2002: Elected to Georgia State Senate

In 2002, Brian Kemp was elected to the Georgia State Senate.

2003: Elected as Georgia State Senator

Brian Kemp served as a Georgia State Senator starting in 2003, after winning against the Democratic incumbent Doug Haines.

2007: End of term as Georgia State Senator

Brian Kemp finished serving as Georgia State Senator in 2007.

2010: Appointed and Elected Secretary of State

In 2010, Brian Kemp was appointed Georgia Secretary of State by Governor Sonny Perdue and subsequently won the election for a full term.

2014: Reelected as Secretary of State

Brian Kemp was reelected as Secretary of State in 2014.

May 2018: Lawsuit over business loans

In May 2018, Brian Kemp faced a lawsuit for allegedly failing to repay $500,000 in business loans related to his personal guarantee of $10 million in loans to Hart AgStrong. The company was under investigation for potential felonies, but Kemp reached a settlement before becoming governor.

May 22, 2018: Republican Primary Election

On May 22, 2018, the primary elections were held, with Brian Kemp participating as a Republican candidate.

July 24, 2018: Republican Primary Runoff

On July 24, 2018, a primary runoff was held between Republican candidates Brian Kemp and Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, with Kemp prevailing.

October 2018: Report on "insider loans"

In October 2018, WAGA-TV reported that companies owned by Brian Kemp owed over $800,000 in loans to a community bank where he was a founding board member and stockholder. These "insider loans" were legal if they were on the same terms as any other borrower, but Kemp's campaign declined to disclose the loan terms.

2018: Resigned as Secretary of State

After narrowly winning the 2018 gubernatorial election, Brian Kemp resigned as secretary of state to prepare for becoming governor.

2018: Gubernatorial Election

Brian Kemp defeated Stacey Abrams in the general election of the 2018 gubernatorial race.

2018: Gubernatorial Election and Controversy

In 2018, Brian Kemp ran for governor. He faced accusations of abuse of power and voter suppression during the election against Stacey Abrams. He narrowly won and then resigned as secretary of state.

2018: Trump supports Kemp's campaign

In 2018, Donald Trump supported Brian Kemp's gubernatorial campaign, a decision Trump would later regret, expressing his disappointment in Kemp's actions after the 2020 election.

2018: Kemp's opponent Stacey Abrams

In September 2021, at a rally in Perry, Georgia, Donald Trump implied that he would prefer Brian Kemp's 2018 Democratic opponent, Stacey Abrams, to replace him as governor.

January 14, 2019: Inauguration as Governor

Brian Kemp was inaugurated as governor in a public ceremony in Atlanta on January 14, 2019.

September 2019: Announcement of Rural 'Strike Team'

In September 2019, Brian Kemp visited Swainsboro to announce the creation of a rural "strike team" focusing on economic development in rural areas of the state.

2019: Became Georgia Governor

In 2019, Brian Kemp became the 83rd governor of Georgia.

December 31, 2019: Appointment of Kelly Loeffler to U.S. Senate

After Johnny Isakson announced his resignation from the U.S. Senate on December 31, 2019, Brian Kemp appointed businesswoman Kelly Loeffler to complete Isakson's term.

November 2020: Trump criticizes Kemp

In November 2020, Donald Trump publicly stated in a Fox News interview that he was "ashamed" for having backed Brian Kemp's 2018 gubernatorial campaign. He also criticized Kemp's lack of action regarding the 2020 election results in Georgia.

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December 2020: Calls for Kemp's resignation and imprisonment

In December 2020, Donald Trump called for Brian Kemp to resign from his position. Separately, attorney Lin Wood urged for the imprisonment of both Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

January 2021: Trump criticizes Kemp for certifying Georgia's results

In January 2021, Donald Trump criticized Brian Kemp for certifying the election results in Georgia. This criticism led to speculation about Kemp facing a primary challenger supported by Trump in 2022.

January 2021: Approval rating rebounds

In January 2021, an AJC poll indicated that Brian Kemp's approval rating had recovered to 43 percent.

March 2021: Kemp supports Trump for 2024

In March 2021, Brian Kemp stated that he would support Donald Trump if he decided to run for president again in 2024.

September 2021: Trump suggests Abrams should replace Kemp

In September 2021, at a rally in Perry, Georgia, Donald Trump implied that he would prefer Brian Kemp's 2018 Democratic opponent, Stacey Abrams, to replace him as governor.

December 2021: Perdue announces candidacy with Trump's endorsement

In December 2021, David Perdue announced his candidacy for governor and received endorsement from Donald Trump.

2021: Signed Election Integrity Act

In 2021, Brian Kemp signed into law the Election Integrity Act of 2021. It expanded early in-person voting and increased state government's control over local election officials.

April 2022: Approval rating reaches 50 percent

In April 2022, according to a Morning Consult poll, Brian Kemp's approval rating hit 50 percent.

May 2022: Kemp gains support from Mike Pence

In May 2022, Brian Kemp announced that he had received the support of former Vice President Mike Pence.

October 2022: Approval rating at 54 percent

In October 2022, leading up to the gubernatorial election, Brian Kemp's approval rating was at 54 percent among Georgians.

2022: Speculation of Trump-backed primary challenger

In 2022, there was speculation that Brian Kemp would face a primary challenger supported by Donald Trump, following Trump's criticism of Kemp in January 2021 for certifying Georgia's election results.

2022: Reelection Campaign and Victory

In his 2022 reelection campaign, Brian Kemp defeated David Perdue in the Republican primary despite Trump's endorsement of Perdue. He then defeated Stacey Abrams in the general election by a wider margin than in 2018.

January 9, 2023: Second Term Inauguration

Brian Kemp was inaugurated for his second term as governor on January 9, 2023.

January 12, 2023: Second Term Swearing-In

Brian Kemp was sworn in for his second term as governor on January 12, 2023, after winning reelection and defeating Stacey Abrams. Abrams conceded on election night.

2023: Approval rating surges to 62 percent

In 2023, as he began his second term, Brian Kemp's approval rating climbed to 62 percent based on an AJC poll.

March 2024: Kemp endorses Trump's 2024 campaign

In March 2024, Brian Kemp endorsed Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.

2024: Kemp opposes United Auto Workers unionization

In 2024, Brian Kemp joined five other Republican governors in a statement opposing the United Auto Workers unionization campaign.

2024: Kemp and Trump campaign separately

In 2024, apart from an event focused on the damage from Hurricane Helene, Brian Kemp and Donald Trump did not appear or campaign together in the US elections.