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CLEMONS: Opposition to Rivian reveals a desperate candidate for governor
David Perdue
Gubernatorial candidate David Perdue talks to an attendee of a Tuesday rally in Rutledge opposing construction of the Rivian plant. - photo by Tom Spigolon

If you believe a governor David Perdue wouldn’t sell his last denim jacket to get a company with 7,500 jobs to Georgia, then I don’t know what to tell you.

Perdue seemed to have a pretty good bit of credibility as a senator from Georgia from 2015-21. During most of that time, he was a close friend to President Donald Trump — the kind of guy who’d be the last guy in the room, and that often meant making the case that Trump would consider most in making policy.

But by the time the 2020 election rolled around, Perdue looked like he would rather be literally anywhere else than the campaign trail — certainly behind the gates in Sea Island than on the debate stage against Jon Ossoff, who delivered a rhetorical homicide.

Perdue could have lived the good life in retirement, but this time it was Trump making the hard sell. He talked Perdue into getting back into politics as part of the former president’s grudge match against Brian Kemp.

It’s clear the Perdue campaign hasn’t gotten traction. A Trump endorsement might have propelled Jody Hice to the forefront in the race for secretary of state, but it hasn’t done much for Perdue’s run for governor. Kemp may well win this thing without a runoff.

That means desperation, evidenced by the “Stop Soros, Save Georgia” campaign stop this week in Rutledge.

Rivian was considering Stanton Springs before Soros’ investment in the electric vehicle company. And the idea that a politician is going to tell a major manufacturing project in an exurban/rural county to take a hike is ridiculous.

It would be governmental malpractice. Kemp did what any reasonable governor would do. I suspect Stacey Abrams would have done the same. Don’t reward Perdue for this act of pandering.

David Clemons is editor and publisher of The Walton Tribune and a former editor of The Covington News. Reach him at david.clemons@waltontribune.com.