Trump-backed Rep. Mike Collins projected to win Georgia GOP Senate primary runoff

Washington — Rep. Mike Collins volition look disconnected against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff successful November arsenic Republicans look to Georgia to present a cardinal GOP triumph that could find power of the Senate. 

Collins won the Republican Senate runoff successful Georgia connected Tuesday night, CBS News projects, defeating Derek Dooley, a erstwhile assemblage shot coach.

The contention went to a runoff aft nary campaigner secured 50% of the ballot successful last month's primary, wherever a 3rd candidate, Rep. Buddy Carter, was eliminated. Collins, the proprietor of a trucking business, has represented Georgia successful the House since 2023 and finished archetypal successful the runoff with astir 41% of the vote. Dooley, an lawyer who coached shot astatine the University of Tennessee and is the lad of legendary University of Georgia shot manager Vince Dooley, won astir 30% of the ballot past month.

Collins secured a last-minute boost connected Sunday erstwhile President Trump waded into the race, endorsing the two-term congressman implicit Dooley. The president called Collins a "true Friend, Fighter, and WARRIOR, who has been with america from the precise beginning."

Mr. Trump's endorsement highlighted a proxy conflict betwixt the president and Gov. Brian Kemp, who endorsed Collins' opponent. The president and Kemp person had a turbulent relationship, which was marked by the politician resisting Mr. Trump's efforts to intervene successful Georgia's statesmanlike predetermination results successful 2020.

While Collins pitched himself arsenic a staunch protagonist of the president during the primary, similar by touting his sponsorship of an migration measure named for Georgia nursing pupil Laken Riley, who was murdered by an undocumented migrant successful 2024, Dooley didn't clasp Mr. Trump arsenic readily. Dooley billed himself arsenic a governmental outsider, portion pledging to enactment with the president for Georgians. After the president's endorsement connected Sunday, Dooley said connected X that "the astir important endorsement is that of the Georgia people," portion arguing that helium was amended situated to bushed Ossoff.

With the runoff successful the rearview, the GOP tin present crook its attraction to the wide election, arsenic Republicans for months person clamored implicit the accidental to instrumentality connected Ossoff. 

As the sole Democrat seeking reelection successful a authorities that Mr. Trump won successful 2024, Ossoff is considered the astir endangered subordinate of his caucus this cycle. But the elongated superior has blunted Republican efforts to motorboat their full-fledged opposition. Meanwhile, Ossoff's formidable fundraising efforts person amassed a important warfare thorax arsenic helium looks to combat backmost against the inevitable onslaught arsenic the wide predetermination approaches. 

Ossoff, 39, archetypal came to the Senate successful 2021. At the time, helium delivered Democrats 1 of 2 runoff victories successful Georgia, which secured the party's bulk successful the precocious chamber. The authorities shifted toward the close during the past election. But Georgians inactive haven't elected a Republican to the Senate since 2016.

This cycle, the authorities could beryllium cardinal to determining power of the Senate. With 53 Republicans, Democrats are hoping to flip 4 seats portion defending their ain successful a fistful of cardinal races — including Georgia. For Republicans anxious to clasp onto power of the chamber, Ossoff's sanction is astatine the apical of their list. 

Republicans volition enactment to represent Ossoff arsenic aligned with nationalist Democrats and retired of measurement with Georgian values. But Collins' triumph whitethorn travel arsenic bully quality to Democrats, anxious to tally against his closeness with the president amid unpopular White House policies, on with highlighting allegations that Collins misused legislature funds, which is nether probe by the House Ethics Committee. Collins has denied the allegations.