Rep. Mike Collins, a conservative who has aligned himself with the “Make America Great Again” movement, won the Georgia Senate primary runoff on Tuesday, defeating former football coach Derek Dooley. Collins was endorsed by President Donald Trump, who made clear that he was still smarting over Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s refusal to back his claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Trump’s Endorsement

Trump’s endorsement of Collins was seen as a significant factor in the race, with the president making a telephone rally for Collins on Monday. In the rally, Trump criticized Dooley for acknowledging that he lost Georgia in the 2020 presidential election, saying that it was “not exactly the right thing to say” and that it was “certainly not what we all stand for with Make America Great Again”.

Collins’ win sets the stage for a closely watched Senate race in November, with the Republican candidate facing off against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Ossoff is seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender and has a significant fundraising advantage, with over $32 million in campaign funds.

Georgia Governor’s Race

In the Georgia governor’s race, self-funding businessman Rick Jackson won the Republican primary runoff, defeating the candidate endorsed by both Trump and Kemp. Jackson, a former health care executive, spent over $91 million on television advertising and portrayed himself as an outsider taking on a rigged political system.

Jackson will face off against Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor and senior adviser in the Biden administration, in the general election. The outcome of the race could depend on how many Georgia voters split their tickets, selecting one party’s nominee in the governor’s race and the other in the Senate contest.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.