Trump's feud with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp reportedly predates Election Day

President Trump's feud with Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp exploded into public view last month after President-elect Joe Biden won Georgia by a narrow margin. Trump, who claims — without evidence — that he lost the state because of widespread voter fraud, blames Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for refusing to help him overturn the results, which were confirmed by multiple recounts. But the president reportedly didn't just turn on Kemp in an instant, The Washington Post reports. Instead, tensions have apparently been brewing for some time.

For starters, Trump reportedly believed Kemp wasn't appreciative enough when he endorsed him in his 2018 gubernatorial race. Then, things really boiled over in late 2019 when Kemp selected Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) to fill Georgia's open Senate seat. Trump was reportedly upset Kemp didn't consult him, and when the governor brought Loeffler to the White House to meet the president, Trump reportedly questioned why Kemp bothered coming to Washington if he had already made up his mind. Per the Post, the president never forgave Kemp for the perceived slight, even though he's become a fan of Loeffler.

More recently, Trump grew angry at Kemp for issuing an executive order opening up businesses in Georgia during the first coronavirus wave in April. While Trump was initially supportive, public backlash changed his mind, and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany reportedly even called Kemp to urge him to revoke the order.

All told, it seems the dispute over Georgia's election results, while perhaps the most potent, is just one of a series of disagreements between Trump and Kemp. Read more at The Washington Post.

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