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Brian Kemp has officially resigned as Georgia’s Secretary of State, the news comes just one day after he declared victory in the Georgia Governor race.

The assertion of victory by Kemp comes to many as a surprise because votes are still be counted and his opponent Stacey Abrams has not conceded. Kemp said he was resigning to focus on the transition process.

“In addition to having the right team, you need energy and focus,” Kemp said at a Thursday news conference in Atlanta alongside Gov. Nathan Deal. “That is why effective 11:59 a.m. today, I’m stepping down as secretary of state.”

Kemp still leads in the race for Governor with 50.3 percent to her 48.7 percent.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson released a statement Thursday saying it was “unfortunate” that Kemp didn’t step down months ago to ensure the election would be a fair race.

“Whether it’s malicious intent or benign neglect, Kemp’s actions during the election were textbook voter suppression and surely decreased voter confidence among residents in the state,” Johnson said. “His actions were strategic, careless and aimed at silencing the voting power of communities of color in the state, and although his resignation comes at an interesting time, amidst a recount of the gubernatorial race, the NAACP will be closely watching how these events unfold.”

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