By Associated Press - Thursday, October 3, 2019

ATLANTA (AP) - The Latest on candidates vying to replace retiring Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia (all times local):

6:45 p.m.

A former congressman from Savannah is the latest Republican to join the hunt to replace retiring GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia.

Jack Kingston announced Thursday that he submitted an application to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp seeking appointment to Isakson’s seat.

Kingston represented his southeast Georgia House district from 1993 to 2015, but lost a GOP runoff for Senate in 2014 to Sen. David Perdue.

With a congressional impeachment inquiry looming, Kingston said he was a strident defender of President Donald Trump.

He says in a statement that he has “aggressively defended President Trump at every turn” and “spent 30 years taking on the Democrats’ misguided agenda.”

Isakson is retiring in December for health reasons. Whoever Kemp appoints to the position will need to defend the seat in a November 2020 special election for the remaining two years of Isakson’s term.

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9:15 a.m.

The son of former U.S. senator and vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman is the first Democrat to enter the race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia.

Matt Lieberman said in a statement Thursday that he’s running because he’s “fed up with the do-nothing politicians who care more about getting re-elected than governing.”

The 74-year-old Isakson recently announced he’ll retire in December due to health issues. A special election for the last two years of his term will be held in November 2020.

Lieberman will likely be one of many candidates, including whomever Republican Gov. Brian Kemp appoints to the post until the election is held.

He made the announcement without the backing of party leaders, who are currently vetting candidates they hope Democrats can rally behind.

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