“Soon-to-be Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler plans to spend $20 million of her own money on her 2020 Senate campaign in Georgia — a massive sum that could give potential rivals pause about trying to unseat her,” Politico reports.

“President Trump quietly met Sunday in the White House with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and the governor’s preferred pick to fill the state’s Senate seat, Atlanta businesswoman Kelly Loeffler,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“But the private huddle turned tense and ended quickly… Mr. Trump has preferred Rep. Doug Collins, a Republican who has vocally defended the president during the impeachment process, and he told Mr. Kemp that he would be taking a risk by appointing the politically untested Ms. Loeffler. At one point Mr. Trump questioned why they were holding the meeting if Mr. Kemp had made his decision.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is resisting pressure from President Trump on who to appoint to an interim U.S. Senate post, the Wall Street Journal reports.

“In recent days, the president has spoken to Mr. Kemp at least twice—once face-to-face in Atlanta and once on the phone—urging him to pick Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), a vocal supporter of the president in Congress… Mr. Collins, a white conservative from north Georgia, has pushed for months to get the seat that Sen. Johnny Isakson, 74 years old, is leaving at the end of the year because of health problems.”

“But the governor is leaning toward appointing a female or minority candidate to improve the GOP’s chances in Atlanta’s burgeoning suburbs, key battlegrounds in the 2020 elections.”

“Matt Lieberman, an entrepreneur who is the son of former Sen. Joseph Lieberman, became the first Democrat to enter the race for retiring Republican Johnny Isakson’s seat on Thursday with a promise to be a voice for frustrated Georgians,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

“Former Health Secretary Tom Price entered the sweepstakes to be Georgia’s next U.S. Senator by submitting his resume with Gov. Brian Kemp’s office for the soon-to-be-vacated seat held by Johnny Isakson,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) confirmed that he is seeking to be appointed to replace retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), who is slated to vacate his seat at the end of the year, The Hill reports.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) will pick Isakson’s successor, who will then face an election in November 2020.

Former congressional candidate Jon Ossoff (D) told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that he will challenge Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) and “mount a ruthless assault on corruption in our political system” that’s prevented Congress from addressing urgent issues. 

First Read: “Here’s the good news Democrats received on Wednesday: Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., will retire from the Senate in December 2019, which means Georgia will now have two Senate seats up for grabs in 2020.”

“That’s an extra GOP seat Democrats can target — in a state that’s become more demographically friendly to them — as they try to net the three Senate seats needed to flip the chamber if they win the White House.”

“But here’s the bad news: They don’t have top-tier candidates running in Georgia right now — either against Republican Sen. David Perdue or for Isakson’s seat, especially after Stacey Abrams confirmed she wouldn’t run for either seat.”

Jon Ossoff (D), who ran an unsuccessful special election campaign in Georgia’s 6th congressional district, is now seriously considering a run at one of the two open Senate seats in Georgia, BuzzEeed News reports.

Stacey Abrams (D) ruled out running for the U.S. Senate next year following news that Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) would retire, The Hill reports.

Said Abrams: “Our thoughts are with Senator Isakson and his family. Leader Abrams’ focus will not change: she will lead voter protection efforts in key states across the country, and make sure Democrats are successful in Georgia in 2020.”

Sen. Johnny Isakson “said he was stepping down from office at the end of 2019 as he struggles with Parkinson’s disease, setting up two elections for U.S. Senate in Georgia in 2020,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

“A four-decade veteran of Georgia politics, Isakson has served in the U.S. Senate since 2005. He won his third term in 2016 by a comfortable margin and isn’t up for re-election until 2022. “

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Matt Lieberman, son of former Sen. Joseph Lieberman, is seriously considering a bid for U.S. Senate in Georgia, telling friends he’s “fed up” with Sen. David Perdue (R-GA).

Stacey Abrams told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that she won’t run for the U.S. Senate in 2020 but left open the possibility she could launch a presidential campaign.

“If she doesn’t make a White House run, Abrams is likely to prepare a 2022 rematch against Gov. Brian Kemp, who bested her by about 55,000 votes in a contest marred by allegations of voter suppression. After 10 days of legal wrangling and vote-counting, Abrams ended her campaign but refused to call it a concession.”

“Some Republicans facing tough 2020 elections are weighing a break with President Trump on foreign policy or his border wall-driven national emergency declaration. David Perdue is going the other way,” Politico reports.

Said Perdue: “Republicans have made a mistake in the past by running away from this president. I don’t see any need to do that. I support this agenda. I don’t support everything he says or how he says it, but this agenda is working.”

“It’s a confident early stance from a Republican facing one of the toughest reelection races in the country next year — especially if he faces Stacey Abrams, the Democrat who lost the 2018 gubernatorial race by 1.4 percentage points. Democrats argue Georgia has shifted rapidly into battleground territory since Perdue romped to victory in 2014 over Michelle Nunn, the daughter of a legendary senator. And Perdue’s reelection is critical for Republicans to hold their Senate majority in 2020.”