Kemp picks GOP donor Kelly Loeffler to fill Georgia Senate seat, defying Trump

• The decision is likely to prompt backlash from some hardline conservatives, who have criticized Loeffler for donating to establishment Republicans like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.
• Collins had previously signaled that he may pursue a primary against Loeffler in 2020 if he was not selected for the position.
• Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), another close Trump ally, warned on Twitter that Kemp himself may face a primary from a Trump-backed candidate as a result of the pick: "It’s not the establishment you are screwing with your donor-induced stubbornness. You are hurting President Trump. You know this because he told you.”

The backdrop: Trump told Kemp and Loeffler in a meeting last month that he wasn't sure how his supporters would respond to the choice and raised concerns about Loeffler's experience, according to Politico. Trump said during a tense exchange that he preferred Collins for the position and questioned why they were holding the meeting if Kemp had already made a decision, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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