The Republican Senate primary in Georgia is heading to a runoff next month after no candidate secured a majority during Tuesday’s voting. This leaves incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) without an official challenger for the moment.
Congressman Mike Collins (R-Ga.) is in the lead with around 41% of the votes, followed by former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, who garnered 30%. They will face off in the runoff scheduled for June 16.
Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) finished third, earning 25% of the vote with about three-quarters counted on Tuesday night.
In the November election, either Collins or Dooley will challenge Ossoff, who is perceived as one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators. Republicans are aiming to bolster their 53-47 majority during the upcoming midterm elections.
Collins, viewed as a frontrunner to potentially flip Georgia to red in November, highlighted his record as key to victory. “You can’t beat Jon Ossoff, who doesn’t have a record. You win by getting results,” he stated at his victory celebration.
Dooley, embracing his outsider status, expressed his excitement after the results. “They counted us out… We proved them wrong and rode the momentum,” he declared. He emphasized that defeating Ossoff wouldn’t be achieved by another politician from Washington.
Initial polling indicates Ossoff holds a slight edge over all three Republican candidates.
While Donald Trump hasn’t voiced support in this race, Republican Governor Brian Kemp, who is term-limited, opted not to run against Ossoff but endorsed Dooley, who happens to be a family friend and the son of the famed University of Georgia coach, Vince Dooley.
At a recent event, Kemp said, “My goal here is to win back my Senate seat. We need political outsiders for that.”
Dooley, reflecting on his coaching background, pointed out that he can recognize self-serving politicians and emphasized the importance of accountability: term limits, a ban on stock trading, and preventing government shutdowns.
In his campaign, Collins and Carter are positioning themselves as the most aligned with Trump’s agenda. “Georgia needs the right Republican to run against Jon Ossoff… someone with a conservative record,” Collins remarked.
Carter, who has been in Congress since 2015, scrutinized Collins regarding an investigation by the House Ethics Committee related to alleged misuse of taxpayer funds during Collins’ previous campaign.
It’s worth noting that Georgia hasn’t elected a Republican senator since 2016 when the late Johnny Isakson won against Democrat Jim Barksdale.
In the 2024 election, Trump secured a victory in Georgia by 2.2 percentage points after losing to Joe Biden by a narrow margin of 0.2 percentage points four years prior.
