President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind Republican Congressman Mike Collins in the Georgia Senate race, delivering a significant boost to the two-term lawmaker just days before Tuesday’s critical primary runoff election.
The endorsement represents a major setback for Derek Dooley, the former college football coach who has enjoyed the backing of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. Collins and Dooley advanced to the runoff after the May 19 primary, where Collins captured 40 percent of the vote compared to Dooley’s 30 percent, with neither candidate securing an outright majority.
Collins has positioned himself as a loyal Trump supporter throughout his campaign, frequently highlighting his role as the author of the Laken Riley Act, an immigration enforcement bill that became the first legislation Trump signed during his second term. His campaign recently released television advertisements featuring footage of the president praising him as ‘fantastic,’ and the congressman has brought aboard several former Trump campaign strategists.
The endorsement also underscores the ongoing political tensions between Trump and Governor Kemp, who have been at odds since Kemp refused to support the former president’s unfounded claims about the 2020 election. Kemp has maintained a close personal relationship with the Dooley family and has actively campaigned alongside the candidate.
Whoever emerges victorious from Tuesday’s runoff will advance to face Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in the general election. Ossoff is the only Democratic senator seeking re-election in a state that Trump carried in 2024, making Georgia a key battleground in the fight for Senate control.
