ATLANTA — After weeks of rumors, former Sen. David Perdue announced Monday that he will challenge current Gov. Brian Kemp in what promises to be a bruising GOP primary.

Perdue wasted no time attacking Stacey Abrams in his new campaign video. Abrams announced last week that she too was throwing her hat in the race for governor.

Perdue also went after Kemp, saying he’s in the race because Kemp can’t beat Abrams. Kemp’s campaign insists the opposite is true.

“Let me be very clear. Over my dead body will we ever give Stacey Abrams control over our elections again,” Perdue said in the video. “Look. I like Brian. This isn’t personal. It’s simple. He has failed all of us and cannot win in November.”

Channel 2 political reporter Richard Elliot learned from sources Sunday that Perdue was ready for a potential matchup against current governor Brian Kemp.

Perdue once helped convince former President Donald Trump to endorse Kemp for governor back in 2018. It would become a relationship that quickly soured after the November 2020 election.

Trump weighed in Monday, dredging up past allegations of massive voter fraud, allegations proven not to be true.

“I can’t imagine that Brian Kemp, who has hurt election integrity in Georgia so badly can do well at the ballot box (unless the election is rigged, of course),” Trump said in a statement Monday.

“On his first day in the governor’s race, David Perdue has written a very large check to the campaign of Stacey Abrams,” said Cody Hall with Kemp’s campaign.

Kemp’s campaign pushed back Monday, insisting the governor can beat Abrams and blamed Perdue for his own election defeat.

“I think it’s important for all Conservatives to know had David Perdue won his Senate race last year, he would be the deciding vote. We would have the majority in the U.S. Senate,” Hall said.

Elliot spoke with Abrams last week about the possibility of Perdue entering the race.

She said she’ll let the Republicans fight it out amongst themselves.

“I have no interest in (internal) fights of the Republicans. My fight is for all Georgians,” Abrams said.

TRENDING STORIES:

• ‘We’ll bring a gun tomorrow.’ Mother says girl made death threats before beating son on school bus
• Shelter-in-place lifted after major ammonia leak in Edgewood
• Former Pres. Trump weighs in on Georgia governor’s race

Political analysts say Perdue entering the race was no surprise, but the announcement did send a jolt through the political world.

“It’s not unprecedented but it is very rare -- and hasn’t happened in Georgia previously – that an incumbent governor is challenged within their own party,” Channel 2 political analyst Bill Crane said.

“It’s going to be very nasty,” Republican strategist Brian Robinson said about the race. “Sherman left more standing than this primary will.”

Georgia Democrats can’t help but be pleased with the notion of Republicans beating themselves up.

“In April and May, you’ll start to see some blistering attack ads,” Crane said.

“It’s always good when your party is united behind a single leader, the way democrats are behind Stacey Abrams and the work she’s done,” said Democratic state Sen. Elena Parent.

Everyone’s predicting a loud and long fight funded by record dollars, first among Republicans and then in the general election.

“This will be among the most high-profile races in the country this year. You have four nationally known figures in the Georgia governor race: Brian Kemp, David Perdue, Stacey Abrams and the fourth is Donald Trump, who is going to be intimately involved in this race. It’s going to be highest dollar race in the country, the most media saturated race in the country,” Robinson said.

“Georgia will be the epitome of the political universe again in 2022, the same way we were in 2020. All of the issues that were crystalized in 2020 will be presented yet again,” Parent said.

The Republican primaries will be May 24, 2022.

Republican Vernon Jones will also be in that primary. Channel 2 Action News contacted his campaign Monday but did not receive a response.

In a statement released Sunday, Jones called Perdue and Kemp: “Two peas in a pod.”

Full Transcript of Perdue’s announcement:

I’m David Perdue. I’m running for Governor to make sure Stacey Abrams is never Governor of Georgia.

Make no mistake, Abrams will smile, lie and cheat to transform Georgia into her radical vision of a state that would look more like California or New York.

To fight back we simply have to be united. Unfortunately, today we are divided and Brian Kemp and Brad Raffensperger are to blame.

Look, I like Brian. This isn’t personal. It’s simple. He has failed all of us and cannot win in November.

Instead of protecting our elections, he caved to Abrams and cost us the Senate majority and gave Joe Biden free reign.

Think about how different it would be today if Kemp had fought Abrams first instead of fighting Trump. Kemp caved before the election and the country is paying the price today.

It’s time for a change. If our governor was ever going to fight for us, wouldn’t he have done it already?

We face an unprecedented onslaught from the woke left in Georgia and across the country. We cannot keep giving in and caving to their demands. We simply must fight back to protect Georgia.

My bold vision for our state is very simple:

Completely eliminate the state income tax, it’s time.

Make our cities and state safe again.

Take charge of our schools – put parents in charge, not the woke left.

Fight Biden’s overreaching mandates… like Florida’s doing… instead of caving to liberals in the cities.

And let me be very clear – over my dead body will we EVER give Stacy Abrams control of our elections again.

Politicians will say these common sense conservative reforms can’t be done. Well, career politicians really can’t do it them, but together, we can.

I’ve spent my life in the real world getting results and creating thousands of jobs. The values and work ethic I learned growing up in Middle Georgia have guided me all my life… and they’ll guide me as Governor.

Bonnie and I are asking for your vote, your support, and most importantly, your prayers. We hope you’ll join us for this exciting journey, and we look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail.

Thank you and God bless you.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

©2021 Cox Media Group