The Republican with the best chance of flipping Georgia Senate red says he isn't running

What now?

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has officially declined to run for U.S. Senate out of Georgia in 2026, paving the way for a potentially contentious Republican primary in the coming year.

The move is a blow for Republicans who were focused on recruiting the candidate who, right now, has the highest statistical chance under current polling of flipping a rubber stamp Democratic vote into a Republican one.

Can it still flip?