ATLANTA — Top Republican leaders are encouraging Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to run for U.S. Senate in 2026 against Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff.

According to Axios, Kemp met privately this week with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina to discuss the possibility of a campaign. While Kemp has not announced a decision, he acknowledged growing interest in his potential candidacy.

“Obviously, I have a lot of people reaching out to me, talking to me about that,” Kemp said last week. “I don’t really have a time frame on that, but now that we are out of the legislative session, I’m going to give some thought to that.”

Ossoff, who is preparing to defend the seat he won in a high-profile 2021 runoff, is already gearing up for what his campaign calls “the biggest and most relentless turnout effort in Georgia history.” His team says he remains in a strong position for re-election, regardless of who the eventual Republican challenger may be.

The 2026 Senate race in Georgia is expected to be one of the most closely watched contests in the country.

WSBs Ashley Simmons contributed to this story