At his campaign stops, Kemp has leaned into an argument that he's the strongest alternative to Abrams, and one whom Republican voters will rally around once the race is narrowed to a head-to-head choice.

In some ways, Kemp's actions more closely mirror the opinions of today's GOP electorate: In April 2020, he was quick to reopen the state during the Covid-19 pandemic -- a position widely assailed at the time by public health experts and even by Trump, who said, "I think it's too soon.