State Sen. John F. Kennedy talks bid for lieutenant governor

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — On Monday, Georgia State Sen. John F. Kennedy (R-Macon) threw his hat into the ring to be next lieutenant governor of Georgia.

Kennedy, 59, is a native of Adrian, Georgia. He has served in the General Assembly since 2015 and as President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate since January 2023. Kennedy’s announcement comes as the current lieutenant governor, Burt Jones, is expected to enter the gubernatorial race, freeing up the number two position in Georgia leadership.

“We’ve got to keep Georgia learning, we’ve got to keep Georgia growing, and we’ve got to keep Georgia safe,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy has represented Middle Georgians in District 18 for a decade. He touted his role in establishing tort reform and Georgia’s Antisemitism law in recent sessions. Kennedy has worked to tackle chronic absenteeism in schools and says increasing support for Georgia’s teachers is one of the three pillars of his campaign.

“Georgia now has the highest-paid teachers in the southeast,” Kennedy said. ” That’s something that didn’t happen by accident but was the product of a lot of hard work.”

To enhance public safety, Kennedy says he plans to explore ways to boost pay for law enforcement officers as well.

“We’ve got to now make sure that the police understand we appreciate them,” Kennedy said. “And that folks generally have a safe environment to work, live, play and pray in.”

Kennedy says Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) has created a strong economic engine that has attracted businesses across the state. He hopes to take his own success under the Golden Dome and translate it to more economic growth.

“I want to take those same ideas and that good, conservative, thoughtful leadership and do it on a statewide level,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy has been outspoken in his support of President Trump’s agenda. When asked how Georgians have been impacted by early actions of the administration, Kennedy pointed to the crackdown on illegal immigration as a win for public safety.

“We’ve got people in our midst who shouldn’t be here,” Kennedy said. “They’re illegally here and they’re committing illegal acts. And those have to be taken care of.”

Kennedy calls himself a solid, common-sense conservative. Now he says, the mission begins to tout his track record in his pitch to Georgia voters.

“What this is really about is our vision for the state of Georgia for the next four years and eight years and beyond,” Kennedy said.