Georgia GOP runoffs yield surprise governor win and confirm Senate challenger

Georgia Republican voters selected billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson over Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the gubernatorial runoff, while Rep. Mike Collins defeated his opponent in the Senate runoff, according to the Associated Press. Collins will face incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff in the November election, a race that national observers expect to be closely contested.

President Trump, who had endorsed Jones for governor and Collins for Senate, posted a lengthy endorsement of Collins after early voting ended, criticizing former football coach Derek Dooley, the candidate backed by Gov. Brian Kemp, for lacking ties to the state and for stating that Trump lost Georgia in 2020. Trump wrote, > "I don't know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person. Unfortunately, he has lived outside of Georgia for most of his life, didn't vote in 2020 or 2016, and said that I lost Georgia in 2020 when, in actuality, the facts have now proven that I won by a lot!"

Kemp had poured more than $100 million of his own money into Jackson’s campaign and endorsed Jones over the more moderate Jackson, arguing that the former would be a stronger governor. Jones, a longtime Trump ally, was involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia and has supported recent state legislation on abortion and voting.

The outcomes highlight a continuing split within the state GOP over the extent of Trump’s influence on candidate selection. Analysts note that Trump’s late-stage endorsements this cycle have been unusual, contrasting with earlier, more strategic backing of incumbents and preferred candidates in other races.