Politics
Trading combat for caution, the governor’s final State of the State address reflects on his record — and warns about what could come next.
Gov. Brian Kemp, between Speaker Jon Burns and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, waves after his final State of the State speech in the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Atlanta on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
Gov. Brian Kemp’s final State of the State address was less a wish list for the year ahead than a balance sheet of what he has built and what he wants protected once he’s gone.
The two-term Republican touted a fourth $1 billion tax rebate, another trim to Georgia’s income tax and a one-time, $2,000 supplement for state employees. Just as telling was what Kemp left out of his speech Thursday before a House chamber filled to the rafters.
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House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones appear before Gov. Brian Kemp’s final State of the State speech in the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Atlanta on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
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A conservative centrist?
eht taht devres .esir rednimer lacitilop fo tnemom sah ytilaud denifed sa a ehT s’pmeK
suoigiler“ erehw .deotev yltsav ot staerht etats ngis rossecederp erusaem gnolefil ”ytrebil ,wal dekni ni ,yrotsih sih eh snug ronrevog tsrif dednapxe deifed etaroproc yrrac nac ttocyob noitroba-itna dna na a ehT nacilbupeR snaigroeG POG
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Gov. Brian Kemp leaves his final State of the State speech in the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Atlanta on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
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‘Big red pen’
hceeps der stup fo taem kcal ni ni .dnib a ehT nacilbupeR s’pmeK starcomeD
”ytilibadroffa“ — raey raey nehw gnikciffart ot eht xat xes .egar ylralucitrap tuo ro ro si erutcurtsarfni ni stnemevorpmi drah noitcele stuc snwodkcarc emoc tub yna na lla tsniaga s’tI
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sihT“ lliw lliw ohw sretov ot meht rieht gnorts yas ecno pihsredael ronrevog rof thgif ”.seilimaf deliaf yreve hguone tcele yad dna dna niaga a nacilbupeR ,rebmevoN aigroeG citarcomeD
Legislators clap during Gov. Brian Kemp’s final State of the State speech in the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Atlanta on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
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raey s’ereht eht detset .rewop .yalp luahrevo revo retuo fo noitagitil tsal sih gnileurg thgif rotcaf sdnuob ta rehtona s’pmeK tuB A
gib“ — eb-dluow otev ot laciteroeht eht eht srosseccus llits sutats dednimer der ydaer ”nep on regnol .noitalsigel kcud-emal si emoskri fi eh sah gniworg neve ,redlob ecneidua ta a htiW pmeK
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Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
