U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson, one of the top Republicans in the House, is seriously considering a challenge to Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock next year.
Allies of the West Point Republican said he is being pressured by some state and national GOP figures to mount a campaign against Warnock, who defeated U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a January runoff special election and faces a 2022 contest for a full six-year term.
A dentist and former West Point mayor, Ferguson has quickly moved up the U.S. House ranks since his 2016 election and is now the chamber’s GOP chief deputy whip. He’s also long been an ally to former U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, another potential contender whom Ferguson backed in last year’s Senate race.
A dozen other high-profile Republicans are said to be weighing a Senate run, including Loeffler, Attorney General Chris Carr and business executive Kelvin King. And last week, former President Donald Trump encouraged Georgia football star Herschel Walker to enter the race.
Warnock, the pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, will be a formidable candidate. He’s got sky-high name recognition, the power of incumbency, a robust political network and a hefty fundraising list after his victory made him the first Black U.S. senator in Georgia history.
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