Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said on Jan. 5 that he would push for a state law to loosen requirements for state residents to carry a handgun in public. Kemp, a Republican, announced the effort at a gun store near Atlanta alongside state lawmakers and gun owners. “In the face of rising violent crime across the country, law-abiding citizens should have their constitutional rights protected, not undermined,” he said. “And while this position has recently become popular for others as we enter the campaign season, my position has remained the same. I believe the United States Constitution grants the citizens of our state the right to carry a firearm without state government approval.” Kemp referenced multiple pieces of legislation, including some already introduced, that would make so-called constitutional carry legal and said he would throw his weight behind them and work together with Republican lawmakers and groups such as the National Rifle …