(CNN) Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday appointed Atlanta businesswoman Kelly Loeffler to take over the seat of retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson.

Kemp, a Republican, had been pressed by President Donald Trump to appoint Rep. Doug Collins, CNN previously reported, but selected Loeffler in a rare act of defiance against Trump by a member of his own party.

Isakson is retiring on December 31 due to health concerns

An executive at a commodities trading firm in Atlanta and the co-owner of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream, Loeffler, 49, had considered running for Senate in 2014. During Wednesday's announcement, Loeffler, a prominent Republican donor, introduced herself as "a lifelong conservative. Pro-Second Amendment. Pro-military. Pro-wall. And pro-Trump."

She confirmed Wednesday that she will be running to retain her seat in November.

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