Georgia Gov. Kemp declines to delay May 19 primary for redistricting, deferring new maps to 2028

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announces on May 2, 2026, that he will not call a special session to redistrict Georgia's congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, in contrast to neighboring Alabama and Tennessee. Kemp says that with early voting already underway, disrupting the May 19 primary would be impractical, but adds that the Callais ruling "requires Georgia to adopt new electoral maps before the 2028 election cycle." Kemp's decision is notable given that Trump's political allies had lobbied him directly. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also announces he does not anticipate calling a special session, despite Trump pressure. The two holdouts undermine Trump's goal of maximizing GOP seat gains in the South for 2026.