Mike Collins celebrates Trump endorsement in Woodstock Senate runoff race
Mike Collins campaigned in Woodstock during Georgia’s Senate runoff after winning an endorsement from Donald Trump. The Republican backing shapes Tuesday’s vote to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. Collins is a second-term congressman and owns a trucking company.
Donald Trump announced his choice Sunday in an early-morning social media post. He selected Collins over former football coach Derek Dooley. Trump called Collins a loyal ally and a fighter.
Collins welcomed the endorsement at a Sunday campaign stop in the northern Atlanta exurbs. He spoke to supporters from the bed of a pickup truck. Collins dismissed claims that the nod brings risks in the general election.
“I’ve always said that President Trump has this just impeccable ability to put his thumb on the scale at the right time,” Collins said.
Collins called the president’s backing encouraging. He said he plans to invite Trump to Georgia despite sagging approval ratings.
“I’d love to have President Trump in Georgia every day, any day he wants to come down,” Collins said.
Rivals Split Over Trump and Kemp Endorsements
Collins led the May 19 primary. Neither candidate reached 40 percent in that vote. That result forced Tuesday’s runoff election.
Trump criticized Dooley for skipping elections in 2016 and 2020. Dooley acknowledged missing votes for nearly two decades. Dooley said he voted for Trump in 2024.
Trump also complained that Dooley noted Trump lost Georgia to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Collins called the 2020 election legitimately rigged on Sunday. Collins argued officials expanded absentee voting improperly.
Dooley responded on X, saying voters reject typical Washington politicians like Collins. Outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp recruited Dooley and serves as his top surrogate. Kemp and Trump have clashed repeatedly since 2020.
Cherokee County voter James Haddad praised Trump’s timing in Woodstock. Haddad is a 66-year-old retired engineer.
“He waited a little bit,” Haddad said. “But he’s studied the candidates, and he did the right thing. It’s going to help.”
Haddad said he voted for Kemp twice. He said Kemp’s stance did not change his Senate pick. Collins directed most of his criticism Sunday at Jon Ossoff.
“He doesn’t reflect the state of Georgia,” Collins told supporters. “He doesn’t represent our values , matter of fact, he shouldn’t even be there.”
Past Races Shape the Republican Field
Kemp resisted pressure from Trump in 2020 over presidential electors. Kemp then defeated Trump-backed challenger David Perdue in 2022. Kemp noted Republicans have lost every Georgia Senate race since 2016.
Kemp pointed to 2024 outsider victories by Tim Sheehy, Dave McCormick and Bernie Moreno. Collins cited his sponsorship of the 2025 Laken Riley Act. That federal law requires detention of immigrants charged with certain crimes.
Ossoff initially opposed the measure before later backing it. Collins said metropolitan voters will reward legislative results.
“Bipartisan is not a bad word,” Collins said.
Kemp backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones on Sunday for governor. That endorsement aligned Kemp with Trump against businessman Rick Jackson. Trump has notched several recent primary wins across other states.
Trump-backed candidates defeated John Cornyn and Thomas Massie in earlier races. Bill Cassidy missed a runoff in Louisiana. Dooley plans to campaign again Monday in Woodstock alongside Kemp.
A primary runoff occurs when no candidate wins an outright majority in the first election. The top two finishers advance to determine the party nominee for the general election. Georgia holds these contests several weeks after the initial vote.
Dooley told voters he will work with Trump while fighting for them.
