Loeffler meets with McConnell amid speculation of another Senate run

Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) met with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday amid speculation that she could mount another bid against Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) next year.

The meeting, first reported by CNN and confirmed to The Hill by a person familiar, comes after Loeffler in February said a 2022 bid against Warnock is “certainly on the table.”

Loeffler was ousted from her Senate seat in January after Warnock won a runoff race by a narrow 2 points. She served in the Senate for slightly more than a year after replacing former Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) in late 2019.

Warnock is on the ballot again in 2022, when he will vie for a full six-year term.

Asked by CNN on Wednesday about another Senate run, Loeffler said, “I haven’t ruled it out.” 

And asked why she was meeting with McConnell, she told the network, “I’m updating the leader on the situation in Georgia.”

Eyes are on Loeffler to see if she ultimately decides to take on Warnock, especially after two top-tier potential candidates, former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) and former Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), ruled out launching their own bids.

The most prominent GOP challenger currently in the race is Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black (R), who launched his candidacy earlier this month.

Military veterans Kelvin King and Latham Saddler are also running in the Republican primary.

Former President Trump, however, is pushing his own candidate to jump into the race: retired NFL star Herschel Walker.

In March, Trump in a statement said it would be “fantastic” if Walker ran for Senate in Georgia.

“He would be unstoppable,” Trump wrote, adding, “He is also a GREAT person. Run, Herschel, run!”

Republicans are especially enthusiastic about taking down Warnock after they lost control of the upper chamber in January following two special elections in the Peach State.

Max Greenwood contributed to this report.