Trump endorses Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia Senate runoff

Washington — President Trump endorsed Rep. Mike Collins successful the upcoming Republican Senate runoff successful Georgia connected Sunday, wading into the contention days up of the contention that volition determine who takes connected Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. 

"Mike Collins is simply a existent Friend, Fighter, and WARRIOR, who has been with america from the precise beginning, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement to beryllium your adjacent United States Senator," Mr. Trump said successful a post connected Truth Social aboriginal Sunday. 

Collins is facing disconnected against erstwhile assemblage shot manager Derek Dooley successful Tuesday's runoff, aft nary Republican campaigner cleared 50% of the ballot successful last month's primary. Republicans person been vying to instrumentality connected Ossoff successful the Peach State, which is location to 1 of the astir intimately watched Senate races of the rhythm — and could find power of the precocious chamber. 

With Ossoff the sole Democrat seeking reelection successful a authorities the president won successful 2024, Republicans person been eyeing a pickup accidental successful Georgia. But the inability to coalesce down a GOP nominee has analyzable the way forward.

After a 3rd candidate, GOP Rep. Buddy Carter, was eliminated successful past month's primary, Collins and Dooley person faced disconnected for the nomination. 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 is an lawyer who coached shot astatine the University of Tennessee and is the lad of legendary University of Georgia shot manager Vince Dooley. He secured astir 30% of the ballot past month.

While Collins positioned himself arsenic a staunch protagonist of the president, Dooley hasn't embraced Mr. Trump arsenic readily, billing himself arsenic a governmental outsider portion pledging to enactment with the president for Georgians.

Dooley said connected Sunday that helium has "great respect for President Trump" and looks guardant to moving with him. He wrote connected X that "the astir important endorsement is that of the Georgia people," portion arguing that he's amended situated to bushed Ossoff. 

Mr. Trump's endorsement sets up a proxy conflict with Gov. Brian Kemp, who threw his support, and his formidable authorities governmental operation, down Dooley. The president and Kemp person been astatine likelihood since the 2020 predetermination erstwhile Kemp resisted Trump's efforts to intervene successful Georgia's statesmanlike predetermination results. 

In his station connected Truth Social Sunday, Mr. Trump said "I don't cognize Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but helium seems similar a bully person," earlier mentioning the 2020 predetermination results successful Georgia. 

The president lauded Collins arsenic a "very palmy Businessman" who helium said is "always warring tirelessly for our America First Agenda."