Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to pass on a Senate bid has top Republican officials scrambling to find a backup plan and avoid a divisive primary — or, at the very least, one divisive candidate.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is passing on a bid for US Senate, delivering a major blow to GOP leaders who have spent months trying to lure him into vying for one of their biggest targets of the midterms.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was widely seen as the favorite to challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., on the Republican ticket, potentially widening GOP control of the Senate. The governor said, however,