Brad Raffensperger Crashes the Governor’s Race — and He’s Ready to Spend Big
Emboldened by his 2022 win over Trump-endorsed Jody Hice, Raffensperger thinks he sees a path to the governor's mansion.
Georgia’s political soap opera just got juicier. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — the man Donald Trump still loves to hate — is officially running for governor, and insiders say he’s lining up a war chest that could turn the GOP primary into a knife fight.
The Money Bomb
Sources close to Raffensperger say he’s got a national network of deep-pocketed donors willing to throw millions behind him. And if that’s not enough, he’s mulling dropping upwards of $10 million of his own money into the race. That’s the kind of cash that makes him an unavoidable frontrunner.
Why It’s Spicy
Raffensperger made headlines in 2020 when he famously refused Trump’s plea to “find” votes. That earned him respect from some moderates — and eternal fury from MAGA world.
By jumping into the governor’s race, he’s poking the hornet’s nest of Georgia Republicans who’d rather see him gone. One GOP strategist told the Post, “Brad’s got more enemies than friends in this party, but money has a way of buying both.”
Trump has already blasted him as a “RINO loser,” while Raffensperger fires back that he’s the only one with the guts — and the bankroll — to win.
The GOP Soap Opera
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is the Trump-world favorite.
Attorney General Chris Carr has been circling the race too.
And now Raffensperger’s entry guarantees months of mudslinging, with the former president lurking like a specter over every campaign stop.
“It’s like Survivor out here,” one Republican operative joked. “Except the prize is the governor’s mansion, and Trump is holding the immunity idol.”
What’s Next
Raffensperger is betting that Georgia voters are tired of Trump drama and ready for a steady hand. But in a state where Trump still packs rallies, he may find himself booed off the island before he even gets to the general election.
One thing’s for sure: with millions in the bank and a grudge match brewing, Georgia’s GOP primary is about to be the nastiest, most expensive political brawl the Peach State has ever seen.
👉 Bottom line: Brad Raffensperger just turned the 2026 governor’s race into must-see TV.
I believe there was a Resolution at the GOP convention this year that the party would not allow him to run as Republican.
This is horrible. Raf obviously doesn't care about the Republican party. Just like last time I'm sure he is being aided by democrats just to inflict chaos!