I like it: Weaker candidate Eric Johnson confirms he will run for governor, prompting stronger candidate and close friend Jack Kingston to bow out.

From the AJC's Political Insider:

[With State Sen.] Eric Johnson of Savannah moving up to the Republican race for governor, . . . U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston of Savannah formally removed his name from the list of suspected GOP candidates for governor, declaring that he would run for another term in Congress instead.

Kingston and Johnson are excellent friends, and there was talk of a pact between the two. If one ran, the other wouldn’t. I was reminded today that Johnson served as Kingston’s first campaign chairman 18 years ago.