Georgia Republicans are waging their latest fight over party identity in runoffs that decide the nominees to face U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and defend the governor’s office against former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. President Donald Trump is at the center of each contest, having made a late endorsement of Rep. Mike Collins, a second-term congressman who calls himself a “MAGA warrior,” over Derek Dooley, a first-time candidate and former football coach who has the backing of outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp.
Senate Contest Previews Fall Fight
The Senate contest is crucial, as Georgia is key to the national fight for control of Capitol Hill. Ossoff, first elected in the 2020 cycle, is the only Democratic senator running in a state Trump won in 2024; Democrats desperately need to keep his seat if they hope to notch a net gain of four seats they’d need for a majority. Republicans’ choice hinges on a familiar debate over electability, with Dooley, 58, insisting his newcomer status is a benefit.
Dooley has criticized Collins for a House ethics complaint accusing the congressman of abusing taxpayer money by paying the girlfriend of a former top aide for a congressional job she allegedly did not perform. Collins, the son of a congressman, argues that his record actually makes for the best contrast with Ossoff, especially on immigration, and can attract a broader coalition.
Gubernatorial Primary is a Unique Challenge for Trump
The president’s preferred primary candidates have a strong record so far in 2026. But none have faced a self-funded rival with billionaire Rick Jackson’s spending power. Jackson, a 71-year-old businessman, has chipped in more than $93 million of his own money to win the nomination, appealing to hard-core Trump supporters with promises to deport illegal immigrants and cut taxes.
Burt Jones, the Georgia lieutenant governor who was part of Trump’s attempt to overturn his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden, has the backing of Trump and outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp. Jones proposes eliminating Georgia’s state income tax — without detailing how he’d make up the revenue — and trumpets his presidential seal of approval and time as a University of Georgia football player in the 1990s.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
