WASHINGTON — Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) cruised to victory in the Georgia Senate GOP runoff Tuesday night.
Collins had won about 55% of the electorate, whereas former football coach Derek Dooley secured roughly 45% when the race was called by the Associated Press at 8:37 p.m. ET.
The winner will face Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who is running for a second term, in the general election Nov. 3, one of several races widely seen as a pickup opportunity for Republicans to increase their 53-47 Senate majority.
That will be a challenge given both the political headwinds facing the GOP on economic issues — as well as Ossoff’s sizable, $32 million campaign war chest.
Though Dooley had gotten the backing of popular Peach State Gov. Brian Kemp, President Trump broke for “‘MAGA’ Mike Collins” in the race’s final days.
“Mike is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected MAGA Patriots in Georgia and beyond, and many Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate — He is a WARRIOR and WINNER!” the president posted on his Truth Social Sunday.
“I don’t know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person,” Trump also said. “Unfortunately, he has lived outside of Georgia for most of his life, didn’t vote in 2020 or 2016, and said that I lost Georgia in 2020 when, in actuality, the facts have now proven that I won by a lot!”
In the state’s gubernatorial contest, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones won the backing of Trump as well as Kemp, with the latter delivering an 11th-hour endorsement over the weekend.
Collins, who co-authored the first piece of legislation that Trump signed after returning to the White House, had come in first in the May 19 primary against Dooley and fellow Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), with 40%, 30% and 25% of the vote won by each, respectively.
The Laken Riley Act forced illegal immigrants charged with assault, theft, burglary, larceny, or violent crimes resulting in death or serious injury. It was named after the University of Georgia nursing student who was murdered by a Venezuelan migrant in February 2024.
Collins’ office has recently faced an ongoing House Ethics Committee probe over allegations that his chief of staff funneled taxpayer funds to a friend, though reps have denied the claims.
The Georgia rep founded a successful trucking company before running for Congress in 2022 after incumbent Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) decided not to seek election in the 10th District.
Dooley is the son of legendary University of Georgia coach Vince Dooley and went on to become the head coach at the University of Tennessee in 2010.
Though he failed to have a winning season in three years, Derek Dooley coached again as a senior offensive analyst for the University of Alabama under Nick Saban.
“The foundation of football is the American spirit. You work hard, you play by the rules, you keep fighting when adversity hits — you have a fair shot at achieving your dreams,” he had said when launching his campaign last August.
“I want that for all Georgians — and all Americans.”
