A Georgia professor on Friday apologized for calling Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp a "nice guy."

"I’d like to apologize to anyone offended by my tweet shout out to Brian Kemp," tweeted Charles Davis, dean of the journalism and communications school at the University of Georgia (UGA). "It was ill-timed and poorly written. I’ve read and learned so much from you all and will endeavor to be more thoughful [sic]."

I’d like to apologize to anyone offended by my tweet shout out to Brian Kemp. It was ill-timed and poorly written. I’ve read and learned so much from you all and will endeavor to be more thoughful. — Charles N Davis (@GradyDeanUGA) July 27, 2018

Davis last week praised the Trump-backed GOP candidate after he claimed the Republican nomination for governor.

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“I went to high school with GOP guv candidate @BrianKempGA,” Davis wrote in a tweet that he subsequently deleted. "Politics be damned. He is a nice guy, always was. Kind to a fault. He’s a friend, always has been, and will be when we’re old(er) and grey(er). That’s how all this should work, people."

After criticism from other Twitter users, Davis told Fox News on Monday that the statement was not a political endorsement.

“To clarify, neither UGA nor its administration had any role in the retraction of my earlier message,” Davis tweeted on Monday. “I should not have used a social media account associated with UGA to post a message that some construed as political.”

To clarify, neither UGA nor its administration had any role in the retraction of my earlier message. I should not have used a social media account associated with UGA to post a message that some construed as political. — Charles N Davis (@GradyDeanUGA) July 30, 2018

Kemp, who had the endorsement of President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE, won a heated GOP primary race against Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle last week. Kemp in July released an audio recording of Cagle saying the GOP primary in Georgia was about "who had the biggest gun, who had the biggest truck, and who could be the craziest."

In the general election, Kemp is facing Democrat Stacey Adams, the first African-American woman to be nominated by a major party to run for governor.