Thune quietly met with BRIAN KEMP (Georgia) on Senate Race

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) met with Gov. Brian Kemp last Monday as the GOP lobbies the Georgia Republican to run for Senate in 2026. Why it matters: Georgia is a top pickup opportunity for Senate Republicans, and the popular Kemp is seen as the party's strongest potential candidate. Thune was joined at Monday's lunch in Atlanta by NRSC Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.), according to two people familiar with the meeting. Kemp's wife, Marty, also attended. The intrigue: Kemp has a complicated relationship with President Trump, who attacked the governor for not overturning his 2020 election defeat in Georgia.