An ally of former President Donald Trump has announced a 2022 bid for Georgia secretary of state, pitting him against the incumbent Republican, who clashed with Trump repeatedly over last year’s election results in the state. Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) took aim on March 22 at Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, claiming that actions by the state’s top elections official served to “create cracks in the integrity of our elections, which I wholeheartedly believe individuals took advantage of in 2020.” “Our state deserves a leader who steers clear of scandals and focuses on the incredibly important duties of the office. If elected, my top priority will be ensuring every Georgian’s legally cast ballot is counted in future elections,” he said. Trump maintains that he won the state of Georgia in the 2020 election, even though state officials certified Democrat Joe Biden as the victor after several recounts. While Trump urged Raffensperger …