Georgia Runoffs: GOP Candidates Vie for Power Backed by Billionaires and Trump
Tuesday's runoff elections in Georgia will determine which Republican candidates, heavily influenced by right-wing endorsements and billionaire spending, will attempt to unseat Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff and former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The contests highlight the GOP's ongoing embrace of Trumpism and big money politics.
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On Tuesday, Georgia voters will participate in runoff elections to select Republican nominees for the U.S. Senate and governor’s office, setting the stage for challenges against Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff and former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. The races have been dominated by endorsements from far-right figures, with former President Donald Trump throwing his weight behind Rep. Mike Collins for Senate and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones for governor. Meanwhile, Governor Brian Kemp has also backed Jones and former football coach Derek Dooley in the Senate race, further entrenching establishment Republican interests.
Billionaire Rick Jackson has poured over $100 million of his personal fortune into buying influence in the Senate race, dwarfing the grassroots fundraising efforts of Collins and Dooley, who have each raised less than $5 million. This stands in stark contrast to Ossoff’s $60 million campaign, which has relied on broader public support. The GOP's reliance on wealthy donors and Trump’s divisive endorsements underscores the party’s increasing detachment from ordinary Georgians.
Collins, a two-term congressman, touts his legislative record and business background, including his sponsorship of the reactionary 2025 Laken Riley Act, which targets non-citizens and threatens due process by keeping certain defendants without bond. Dooley, lacking political experience, claims his outsider status is an asset, but offers little substance beyond empty rhetoric about learning from past GOP failures. Both face ethical questions and are closely aligned with Trump’s regressive agenda.
For governor, Jones campaigns on slashing state income taxes, a move that would further erode public services, while Jackson focuses on harsh immigration enforcement and tax cuts, leveraging his personal story from the foster care system as political capital. Trump’s repeated endorsements of Jones, including on social media and in a telephone rally, signal the continued grip of Trumpism on the GOP.
The secretary of state runoff pits Vernon Jones, a vocal promoter of baseless election-fraud conspiracies, against Tim Fleming, who acknowledges some irregularities but stops short of outright lies. Meanwhile, Democrats will choose between Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett and former state judge Penny Brown Reynolds.
After the runoffs, all Republican candidates are expected to lean heavily on national GOP funding to close the massive fundraising gap with the incumbent Senate campaign, highlighting the party’s dependence on outside money and elite interests.
