President Donald Trump has endorsed Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia’s Republican Senate runoff, adding a major late-stage boost to a race that has become a test of influence between Trump’s MAGA wing and the state’s Republican establishment.
Collins, a conservative congressman from Georgia’s 10th District, is facing Derek Dooley, a former college football coach and political newcomer who has been strongly supported by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will become the Republican nominee against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.
Georgia is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the 2026 midterm cycle. Republicans see Ossoff as one of the most vulnerable Democratic incumbents, while Democrats view Georgia as a state where they have shown they can still compete statewide, especially when Republicans are divided.
Trump’s endorsement came after he stayed neutral through the first round of the primary and much of the runoff. That silence had become a major storyline because both Collins and Dooley had worked to appeal to pro-Trump voters. Collins, however, has long emphasized his loyalty to Trump and his alignment with the MAGA movement.
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The late endorsement gives Collins a clear advantage with Republican voters who view Trump’s support as a deciding factor. It also places Trump directly against Kemp’s political network at a critical moment in Georgia politics.
Kemp, who is term-limited as governor, has been one of Georgia’s most successful Republicans in recent years. He has also maintained an independent political identity inside the party, often drawing support from suburban Republicans, business conservatives and voters who want the GOP to focus on electability in battleground races.
Dooley’s campaign has leaned into that argument. A lawyer and former University of Tennessee football coach, Dooley has presented himself as an outsider who can appeal beyond the party’s most loyal base. His family name is well known in Georgia because he is the son of legendary University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley.
Collins has argued that Dooley lacks political experience and has spent much of his adult life outside Georgia. His campaign has framed the runoff as a choice between a proven conservative lawmaker and a candidate backed by the state’s political establishment.
Dooley, meanwhile, has attacked Collins as a political insider and has pointed to ethics questions surrounding him. The House Ethics Committee has reportedly been reviewing allegations related to Collins’s office and a former intern. Collins has denied wrongdoing.
Dooley has faced his own scrutiny in the final stretch of the race, including allegations connected to his brother, Daniel Dooley, and questions raised by Democrats in the Georgia legislature. Dooley and Kemp have denied wrongdoing.
The negative tone of the runoff has given Ossoff an opening. While Republicans fight over the nomination, the Democratic incumbent has continued building a large campaign operation and fundraising advantage. Democrats are likely to frame either Republican as too closely tied to Trump, while Republicans will try to make Ossoff answer for Democratic policy positions and the national political environment.
Trump’s decision to enter the race late could reshape the final days of the runoff. His endorsement remains one of the most powerful tools in Republican primaries, but recent contests have also shown that it does not guarantee victory in every race. That makes Georgia a useful test of whether Trump’s political influence can overpower Kemp’s state-level machine.
The endorsement also matters beyond the Senate race. Georgia is holding other Republican runoffs, including a closely watched gubernatorial contest. Trump-backed candidates have had mixed results in recent primaries, and a Collins victory would help reinforce the president’s role as the dominant figure in GOP candidate selection.
A Dooley win, however, would be a major statement for Kemp and other Republicans who argue that the party needs candidates with broader general-election appeal in competitive states.
For now, the Republican race is focused on turnout. Runoff elections often attract fewer voters than regular primaries, meaning the side with the stronger late organization and more motivated supporters may have the edge.
Trump’s endorsement is likely to energize Collins voters. Kemp’s operation will try to answer by turning out Dooley supporters who believe the GOP needs a nominee who can win suburban voters and compete with Ossoff in November.
The outcome will shape not only the general election in Georgia, but also the larger national battle over control of the Senate.
Why It Matters
Georgia is one of the most important Senate battlegrounds of 2026. Republicans need a strong nominee to challenge Jon Ossoff, while Democrats hope GOP divisions will weaken the eventual Republican candidate before the general election begins.
The runoff is also a test of power inside the Republican Party. Trump is backing Collins, while Kemp is backing Dooley. The result will show whether Georgia Republican voters are more influenced by the national MAGA brand or by the governor’s state-level political network.
What Comes Next
Voters will decide Tuesday whether Collins or Dooley becomes the Republican nominee. The winner will immediately face a general-election race against Ossoff, who has spent the primary season building money and organization while Republicans fought each other.
If Collins wins, Trump will claim another major endorsement victory in a battleground state. If Dooley wins, Kemp’s influence in Georgia Republican politics will look stronger heading into the fall.
CBS News reported that Mike Collins and Derek Dooley advanced to Georgia’s Republican Senate runoff, with the winner set to face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.
Mike Collins advances to runoff in Georgia GOP Senate primary, CBS News projects https://t.co/4w7HBxvExB
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 20, 2026
