Mike Collins Wins Georgia Republican Senate Runoff, Faces Jon Ossoff in General Election
Rep. Mike Collins secured the GOP nomination in Georgia's Senate runoff, setting up a contest against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff in a race projected to be highly competitive.
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Rep. Mike Collins defeated former college football coach Derek Dooley in Georgia's Republican Senate runoff, earning the party’s nomination for the November general election against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. The victory follows a primary in which no candidate achieved a majority, prompting a head-to-head contest.
Collins, a first-term House member first elected in 2022, campaigned as a strong ally of former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him shortly before the runoff. Gov. Brian Kemp had backed Dooley, arguing that an outsider was needed to defeat Ossoff.
"Listen, I ran on Trump policies. I ran on ‘America First.’ I know what those policies did and can do for this country and for the people of this country. That’s what I’m running with, and he is — I wholeheartedly support what he’s been doing," Collins told NBC News after a campaign event.
Ossoff, the only Democratic senator seeking re-election in a state Trump carried in 2024, criticized Collins as a political insider and highlighted an ethics inquiry into Collins’ use of congressional funds. Collins dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
"They can sling whatever they want, you know. I can’t help that," Collins said when asked about the ethics probe, adding that his primary opponent was not his main concern.
The race is expected to be costly for both sides. Super-PACs have pledged to spend roughly $64 million, and Ossoff’s campaign has already raised more than $80 million, compared with Collins’ $4.9 million. Political analysts note that Georgia has become a pivotal battleground, with narrow margins in recent presidential and Senate contests.
Both candidates have framed the upcoming election as a referendum on national issues, including the economy and foreign policy, as they prepare for what is projected to be one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate contests.
