Governor Taps Businesswoman To Isakson's Seat Against Trump Wish

ATLANTA, GA — As expected, Gov. Brian P. Kemp announced his appointment Wednesday of Atlanta businesswoman Kelly Loeffler to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Sen. Johnny Isakson at the end of the year.

The move counters President Donald Trump's pick for the seat. The president had endorsed a top ally in the U.S. House, Rep. Douglas Collins (R-Gainesville), a four-term congressman.

Kemp and his supporters endorsed Atlanta businesswoman Loeffler at a press conference Wednesday.

"From the farm to the New York Stock Exchange, Kelly Loeffler has lived the American dream. I'm confident that she will work every single day to keep that same dream alive for our children, grandchildren and generations to come," Kemp said Wednesday at the state Capitol, surrounded by his family and lawmakers.

Conservative activists have scrutinized Loeffler's support for Trump, questioning her past campaign contributions to Democrats and tried to depict her as a closet liberal.

But Kemp sought to put those concerns to rest.

"Kelly Loeffler will stand with the president, Senator Perdue, and their allies in the U.S. House and Senate," Kemp said. "I'm excited to appoint Georgia's first female senator in nearly 100 years — but, more importantly, I'm excited to appoint a lifelong Republican who shares our conservative values and vision for a safer, stronger Georgia."

Loeffler also showed Trump some support.

"I'm disgusted by the impeachment circus and strongly oppose it. It's a sideshow and partisan distraction. Democrats need to quit playing politics. We're facing the fight of our generation — and that's why I'm here," she said. "As an outsider, I know that I'll have to prove it. I'll work hard every day to earn Georgians' confidence and support with my votes, priorities and actions."

Loeffler would be a first-time candidate who could help win women voters who have fled a Republican Party dominated by white men, according to the AJC.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the political arm of the Senate GOP, supports Loeffler, giving her a key ally as she faces a potential GOP challenge in a primary, according to two people with direct knowledge of the decision, the AJC reported.

Collins told the AJC two weeks ago that he was “strongly” considering a run for the seat if he was not appointed. Trump directly pressed Kemp to appoint Collins at least three times, including a secretive meeting in Washington last week that involved Loeffler.

But on Wednesday, there seemed to be great support for Kemp's pick.

“My No. 1 goal is to continue the best economic turnaround in U.S. history and focus on the needs of the people of Georgia," said Georgia's other Republican senator, David Perdue.

"The only way to ensure that happens is to advance President Trump's agenda in the U.S. Senate. While Senator Isakson leaves behind big shoes to fill, I look forward to working with Kelly Loeffler, my new partner in the U.S. Senate, to continue that positive change for Georgia and our country."

Loeffler becomes the second woman to serve in the U.S. Senate from Georgia. Rebecca Latimer Felton served one day in the chamber in 1922 following the death of Tom Watson. Loeffler will also be able to pump some of her own personal fortune into a campaign that could break fundraising records.

Loeffler runs the Bakkt bitcoin trading platform that’s a subsidiary of the Intercontinental Exchange, the behemoth Atlanta-based financial firm headed by her husband. She is also a co-owner of the Atlanta Dream WNBA franchise, according to the AJC.

"Over the last 25 years, I've been building businesses, taking risks, and creating jobs," Loeffler said. "I haven't spent my life trying to get to Washington, but there are a few things folks are going to find out about me: I'm pro-Second Amendment, pro-military, pro-Wall, and pro-Trump. I'm a lifelong conservative, and I make no apologies for my conservative values."

"I'm strongly pro-life and believe that every life is a blessing. When it comes to protecting the innocent, I don't look to government for the answers. I look to God."

Isakson announced in August that he would step down from the Senate, where he is serving his third term, because of health concerns.

Isakson said that he has been increasingly feeling the effects from Parkinson’s disease, and simultaneously dealing with a fall in July and surgery to remove a growth on his kidney. His resignation will be effective Dec. 31, he said. Under Georgia law, Loeffler will serve until the 2020 election, when the state will elect a permanent successor.

Isakson endorsed the appointment.

“I congratulate Kelly Loeffler on her historic appointment to the United States Senate. Kelly’s business experience and acumen will be an asset to Georgia and the Senate," Isakson said. "The same tireless work ethic that has helped her succeed in business will also help her succeed in serving Georgians and our nation. It has been the honor of a lifetime for me to serve this great state in the U.S. Senate, and my staff and I will work closely with Kelly to ensure a smooth transition.”