Trump Picks Collins Days Before the Runoff
President Donald Trump threw his support behind Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia’s Republican Senate runoff on Sunday, just two days before voters head to the polls. In his Truth Social post, Trump called Collins a longtime ally who has been with him “from the very beginning” and labeled him a “WARRIOR and WINNER.” That is the kind of endorsement that still matters in GOP primaries, because in Washington politics, loyalty is often treated like a rare mineral and guarded with great care.
Dooley Gets the Cooler Reception
Trump took a swipe at Collins’ opponent, former football coach Derek Dooley, saying he did not know him and that “neither does anyone else,” before adding that Dooley seemed like a nice person. Then came the less polite part. Trump criticized Dooley for not voting in the 2016 and 2020 elections and pointed to Dooley’s own remarks that Trump lost Georgia in 2020. Dooley answered by saying he respects Trump, but still believes he is the stronger Republican for the general election. That is the modern campaign script: praise the boss, disagree loudly, and hope nobody notices the furniture moving behind the curtain.
Kemp and Trump End Up on Opposite Sides Again
The endorsement also deepens the split between Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp, who backed Dooley in the race to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. Collins led the first round with 40.5 percent, while Dooley finished at 30 percent, but neither cleared the majority needed to avoid a runoff. Now Collins has the Trump base, Dooley has Kemp’s backing, and Georgia Republicans have one more reminder that unity is always a nice idea, right up until the votes get counted. The general election is expected to be expensive, with Ossoff already building a large war chest as both parties eye Georgia as a key Senate battleground.
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