Trump's Georgia Endorsement
Trump Endorses GOP Rep. Collins in Georgia Runoff to Unseat Senator Ossoff
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President Donald Trump has endorsed Rep. Mike Collins over former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley in the June 16 Georgia Republican runoff, deepening a bitter feud inside the state GOP USA Today. The winner will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November — but Ossoff already leads Collins by 7 points in the latest polls, giving Republicans a narrow window to close the gap.
No candidate cleared the 50% threshold in the May 19 five-way Republican primary. Collins finished first with 38.2% of the vote. Dooley came in second with 29.1%, forcing the June 16 runoff USA Today.
Trump and Kemp Pick Opposite Sides in Runoff
Trump made his choice official on June 8 via Truth Social, calling Collins a "winner who will never back down." He took direct aim at Governor Brian Kemp, writing that Kemp is "once again trying to push a RINO on the great people of Georgia" Reuters. The endorsement puts Trump and Kemp — long-time rivals since the 2020 election dispute — on opposite sides of the same race.
Kemp endorsed Dooley on June 1, calling him a man of "principled leadership" who can "win over suburban moderates" Wall Street Journal. Dooley, an attorney and son of UGA football legend Vince Dooley, leaned into his outsider status. "We need a candidate who can actually win in November, not just win a primary," he said at a June 2 press conference.
Ossoff Holds Big Money and Polling Leads
Ossoff, the nation's youngest senator, entered the race with a massive financial edge. He had $28.4 million cash on hand as of Q1 2026 FEC filings. Collins had $4.2 million. Dooley had $3.8 million. That gap gives Ossoff the ability to dominate TV ads in Atlanta and Savannah through November.
A University of Georgia and Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll from June 2026 shows Ossoff leading Collins 49% to 42%. Against Dooley, the race is tighter — Ossoff leads 47% to 45%, within the margin of error. Democratic strategists say the bruising runoff helps Ossoff. "Every dollar the GOP spends attacking each other in June is a dollar they don't have to attack Ossoff in October," analyst Nate Silver noted Silver Bulletin.
Two Different Bets on How to Win Georgia
The Collins-Dooley divide reflects a real strategic split. Collins is a trucking executive and self-described "MAGA Warrior" who relies on big turnout in rural North Georgia Politico. Republican primary turnout in May was already up 12% from 2022, reaching roughly 1.1 million voters — a sign the base is engaged.
Dooley's pitch is built around the Atlanta suburbs — counties like Cobb and Gwinnett that have trended Democratic since 2018. Analysts at Sabato's Crystal Ball argue a "Kemp-style" Republican is better positioned to win those voters back. Critics of Collins point to the 2022 Senate races, when poor candidate quality cost Republicans winnable seats across the country.
Georgia Race Could Decide Senate Control in 2027
Georgia is one of three states analysts consider a must-win for Republicans to reclaim the Senate majority. A Collins nomination could energize the rural base but risk alienating independent women in the suburbs — a group Ossoff won by double digits in 2021, according to The New York Times.
The race also carries implications beyond 2026. A Dooley win would strengthen Kemp's standing as a potential 2028 presidential contender — one who can navigate the MAGA movement without fully surrendering to it, according to Politico. Ossoff, meanwhile, is staying above the fray. "While my opponents argue over endorsements, I am focused on lowering costs and protecting the right to vote," he said in a recent campaign email.
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