U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and former coach Derek Dooley advance to a June 16 runoff in Georgia's GOP Senate primary. The winner will challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in a key November race that could decide Senate control. Collins, a Trump-aligned hard-liner, faces Dooley, a political newcomer backed by Gov. Brian Kemp, in a race that has some Republicans concerned about their general election chances.
Georgia GOP Senate primary runoff
- ▪The runoff, scheduled for June 16, was required because no candidate captured a majority of the votes
- ▪A third leading candidate, Representative Buddy Carter, was eliminated from the race
- ▪With 80% of the vote counted, Mike Collins led Derek Dooley 40.5% to 30%
- ▪U.S. Representative Mike Collins and former coach Derek Dooley advanced to a runoff in Georgia's Republican U.S. Senate primary on May 19, 2026
Mike Collins immigration hard-liner
- ▪Described as an immigration hard-liner, Mike Collins has adopted a brash persona similar to Donald Trump
- ▪Mike Collins sponsored the Laken Riley Act, named for a student killed by a man charged with being in the U.S. illegally
- ▪Mike Collins is a 58-year-old, two-term Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Derek Dooley political newcomer
- ▪Derek Dooley has run as an alternative to politics in Washington
- ▪Derek Dooley is a 57-year-old former University of Tennessee football coach and a lawyer who has never held elective office
Brian Kemp campaign support
- ▪Governor Brian Kemp's political organization directed millions of dollars to support Derek Dooley's candidacy
- ▪Derek Dooley is endorsed by two-term Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who is a lifelong friend
Jon Ossoff general election challenge
- ▪The runoff winner will face incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, a 39-year-old former media executive, in the November general election
- ▪Jon Ossoff did not face a challenger in the Democratic primary
- ▪Jon Ossoff won his Senate seat in a 2021 runoff election against Trump-aligned Republican incumbent David Perdue
Republican competitiveness concerns
- ▪The outcome of the Georgia Senate race could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority
- ▪Incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff has been polling ahead of both Republican candidates, Mike Collins and Derek Dooley
- ▪Despite Donald Trump winning Georgia in 2024, independent political analysts rate the state as leaning Democratic
- ▪Some Republicans have grown anxious that the party is poorly positioned for the competitive November general election
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