Trump-Backed Mike Collins Wins Georgia GOP Runoff, Threatens Progressive Gains as He Faces Jon Ossoff
Rep. Mike Collins, a staunch Trump loyalist, secured the Republican nomination in Georgia's Senate runoff, setting up a high-stakes battle against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff in a race that could determine the future of progressive policies in the South.
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Rep. Mike Collins, who has aligned himself closely with the far-right agenda of former President Donald Trump, 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. This outcome followed a primary where no candidate achieved a majority, forcing a runoff that ultimately favored the Trump-endorsed candidate over the more moderate, Kemp-backed Dooley.
Collins, a first-term House member elected in 2022, ran an unabashedly reactionary campaign, touting his allegiance to Trump and the regressive 'America First' platform that has undermined democratic norms and marginalized vulnerable communities. Trump’s endorsement, delivered just before the runoff, signaled the continued grip of MAGA extremism on the Republican Party. Meanwhile, Gov. Brian Kemp’s support for Dooley, who was positioned as an outsider, was ultimately no match for the right-wing machinery backing Collins.
"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, doubling down on the divisive policies that have hurt working families and immigrants.
Ossoff, the only Democratic senator seeking re-election in a state Trump carried in 2024, has rightfully criticized Collins as a political insider beholden to special interests, and highlighted an ongoing ethics inquiry into Collins’ questionable use of congressional funds. Collins, in typical fashion, dismissed the serious allegations as unfounded, refusing to take responsibility.
"They can sling whatever they want, you know. I can’t help that," Collins said, brushing off concerns about ethics and accountability, and making clear that his primary opponent was not his main concern.
The race is expected to see an avalanche of dark money, with Super-PACs pledging to spend roughly $64 million to prop up right-wing interests, while Ossoff’s campaign, powered by grassroots support, has already raised more than $80 million compared to Collins’ $4.9 million. Political analysts emphasize that Georgia has become a critical battleground, with razor-thin margins in recent presidential and Senate contests, underscoring the urgent need for progressive mobilization.
Both candidates have framed the upcoming election as a referendum on national issues, including the economy and foreign policy, but for progressives, the stakes could not be higher as they prepare for what is projected to be one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate contests.
