Georgia Gov. Kemp says signature match audit findings should inspire confidence in upcoming runoffs

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Georgia Gov. Kemp pledges voter 'transparency' in upcoming runoffs

Gov. Kemp talks election, relationship with Trump in exclusive interview on 'The Story'

Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp doubled down on his pledge to ensure ballot security ahead of the Jan. 5 Senate runoffs, addressing concerns among GOP strategists that President Trump's voter fraud claims could hamper Republican turnout in the critical state.

"I certainly believe there will be transparency in the runoff election, a lot of people that have volunteered," Kemp said. "With the focus we've had on Georgia, that's absolutely going to be the case."

GEORGIA JUDGE RULES AGAINST VOTER PURGE AHEAD OF SENATE RUNOFF

The critical runoff elections are less than one week away, as the four campaigns print to the finale of what has been a grueling election year. Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler are aiming to hold off Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, respectively, after no candidate got more than 50% of the vote on Nov. 3.

More than 2.3 million people have already voted in the state, with the GOP recruiting more than 4,000 volunteers to serve as poll watchers as part of what they call the "largest and most aggressive" ballot transparency operation in the state’s history.

Kemp said a Republican victory would put an end to "socialism," and urged voters to "stop handing the keys to Pelosi, Schumer, Bernie, AOC, and the others."

CRUNCH TIME: ONE WEEK TO GO UNTIL GEORGIA'S SENATE RUNOFF ELECTIONS

The Republican governor has come under recent attack by Trump for resisting GOP calls to consider measures to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election results. 

After mounting pressure from the president and his supporters, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger ordered officials to conduct a signature matching audit of absentee ballot envelopes in Cobb County. Raffensperger confirmed to Channel 2 Action News on Tuesday that only two mismatched signatures were found among the more than 15,000 votes in the audit.

Kemp said he was "glad" officials found no proof of widespread voter fraud and hopes "that what came out today will give people confidence in the process because they've got to get out and vote and quit being distracted by all these things.

"We literally have to save the country,and win these two Senate races," he said.

As for his personal relationship with the president, Kemp emphasized that he "appreciates everything the president has done for this state" and hailed the coronavirus vaccine rollout as a "medical miracle" that should have earned the president more "credit."

Kemp also expressed support for Trump's legal battles contesting the election results, but reiterated that "at the end of the day, I have to follow the laws in the Constitution of the state and that's what I've been doing and what I continue to do."

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Trump plans to visit the state on Saturday in a final show of support for Loeffler and Perude. His trip marks the second visit to the Peach State in less than a month.