Trump Endorses Mike Collins in Georgia Senate Race
In a crucial move on Saturday, former President Donald Trump threw his support behind Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a key Senate race in Georgia. This state is among those that could influence whether Republicans continue to hold their slim majority in the Senate after the upcoming midterm elections in November.
Collins, identified as a staunch supporter of the MAGA movement, will compete against former college football coach Derek Dooley, who enjoys the backing of popular conservative Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, in the runoff election slated for Tuesday.
The Republican nominee will then face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is considered the most vulnerable among Senate Democrats seeking re-election this cycle. Republicans have heavily targeted Ossoff, making this race a pivotal one.
Collins represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, which lies between Atlanta and Augusta. Notably, he is the son of the late Congressman Mac Collins and co-owns a trucking company with his wife.
In the previous primary, Collins and Dooley, who is also a former University of Tennessee football coach and the son of a legendary Georgia football coach, emerged as the top candidates amidst a crowded field, which included U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter. Since no candidate secured more than 50% of the votes last month, the two advanced to the runoff.
While Collins has expressed strong alignment with Trump’s policies, the former president had remained neutral during Georgia’s primary and runoff elections until this latest endorsement.
On the flip side, Dooley has solidified support from his close friend, Governor Kemp, who frequently appears with Dooley on the campaign trail. Interestingly, Kemp’s senior political adviser is also consulting for Dooley’s Senate campaign.
Dooley has been portraying himself as the outsider, while calling Collins an insider, critiquing him for lacking political experience and for having lived outside Georgia for much of his life.
However, it’s worth noting that both candidates have their challenges. The House Ethics Committee is currently probing Collins due to allegations surrounding an intern in his office. He has denied any wrongdoing and indicated that his staff wouldn’t take part in his Senate campaign.
In a rather unfortunate incident, a team member was dismissed after mocking the wife of one of Dooley’s campaign aides on social media, leading to an apology from Collins who described the post as “despicable and unauthorized.”
Dooley, on the other hand, faced accusations of being entangled in a “pay-to-play” scandal linked to his brother and Governor Kemp. Both Dooley and Kemp have refuted these claims, although Democratic lawmakers are calling for an independent probe.
While the Republicans have fought for the nomination over the year, Ossoff has amassed a substantial war chest, giving him a significant edge in fundraising as the general election approaches.
Beyond Georgia, Trump’s influence will be tested in other runoff elections in the state, including the Republican gubernatorial nomination where his ally, Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones, is in contention against billionaire Rick Jackson.
Despite Trump’s successes with endorsements leading to victories in various states like Indiana and Texas, his recent support for Iowa’s Rep. Randy Feenstra didn’t lead to success, as he narrowly lost to a candidate backed by conservative groups.
However, Trump found some resurgence last week when another supported candidate in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary, Lt. Governor Pamela Evett, won a spot in the upcoming election.
Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham secured enough votes in the Republican Senate primary to avoid a runoff, coming out on top amidst a field of competitors, which included some who critiqued him on various issues, like his stance on the Iran war.
