If the term-limited governor decides to seek federal office — perhaps challenging Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026 or running for president in 2028 — allies hope his recent overseas trips to Israel, Davos, Switzerland and South Korea will help make up for foreign policy weaknesses on his resume.
The 10-day trip with the delegation will also highlight economic projects that have helped reshape Georgia’s economy into a fast-growing green energy hub.
Leading the way is Hyundai, which is building a $7.6 billion electric vehicle factory in southeast Georgia. The Meth Plant is the largest economic development project in state history, secured by a Georgia record-setting $1.8 billion federal incentive package.
Hyundai’s announcement of the project comes as Kemp is fighting both conservative and liberal opponents for a second term, giving him a boost at a crucial moment in the campaign.
Like other recent South Korean projects, Hyundai stands to benefit from a federal green energy package supported by President Joe Biden but opposed by Kemp and other Republicans as wasteful spending.
In Kemp’s view, Republican policies at the state level, rather than clean-energy incentives and billions of dollars in federal funding for infrastructure improvements, have helped fuel Georgia’s rapid growth in the energy industry.
As Democrats link the flurry of announcements to Biden’s tax and climate change policies, Kemp raises another question: If the grants are being offered nationwide, why are so many projects singling out Georgia?
South Korea-based solar power manufacturer Qcells is one of the focuses of Kemp’s visit this week.
Q CELLS directly tied its planned $2.5 billion expansion in 2023 to the Biden-backed health care and tax measures that Congress passed despite Republican opposition, but the company credited Kemp and state and local officials for laying the groundwork.
There are risks for Kemp in positioning the state as a growing energy hub that is clearly benefiting from Biden’s policies, but as the governor demonstrated in Seoul, he is pushing his approach while seeking to secure new clean energy deals overseas.
“Everything is fine here.”
