Perdue Challenges Kemp. Abrams Laughs. Trump Is Pleased.

Well, Donald Trump us getting exactly what he wanted. Back in September, Trump publicly asked Stacey Abrams if she wanted to be Governor of Georgia and that if she did, it was OK with him. Last week Abrams announced her second run for Governor.

Then Trump set about actively and publicly recruiting former Senator David Perdue to launch a primary challenge to Kemp. Rumors swirled that Perdue, after announcing, then backing out of a challenge to Democrat Raphael Warnock for Senate, was considering doing as Trump wished.

Sunday, the AJC reported that Perdue will take on Kemp, and the announcement would come Monday (today). As I type, I haven’t seen a formal announcement, but a Perdue for Governor website now exists, asking for donations and a chance to sign up for an email list.

Meanwhile, Lauren Groh-Wargo of the Abrams campaign said:

While David Perdue and Brian Kemp fight each other, Stacey Abrams will be fighting for the people of Georgia.

She didn’t add that Abrams would be doing all this while laughing hysterically at her good fortune.

As Erick Erickson points out, Kemp is still the favorite, but the only winner here is Abrams.

David Perdue is a fine man. I really do like him. But he hates the grind of campaigning and it showed this last time. He’s not good on a debate stage and it showed last time. He’s been beaten by one of the least accomplished Democrats and wants to run against the Abrams machine. Instead of being his own man, he’ll just be a tool through which Trump nurses a grudge.

The primary still favors Brian Kemp. Kemp does not have the GOP locked down. He does have problems and his team needs to recognize those problems. But Kemp does have a legislative session to try to get more done on which to run while Perdue will either have to undermine the agenda as Abrams wants or sit by and watch Kemp build accomplishments.

Abrams is the only winner in this move and it makes Abrams more likely to win even as the headwinds blow against the left. It is unfortunate. But the Mara Lago echo chamber rivals the voices in Jen Rubin’s head.

Trump gets the campaign he wanted. He wanted Abrams to run and she is. He wanted Perdue to run and he is. We’re all living in that Mara Lago echo chamber now. Brace yourselves for a year of political hell. Yet, despite all of this looming chaos, WE get to choose the Governor WE want. The bitter, vengeful, former President doesn’t get to vote in Georgia. I know what I’m doing. I’m not changing my vote to appease Trump. But, to my fellow Georgians, please…