Mike Collins faces scrutiny in Georgia as Kemp backs his Senate bid

Mike Collins announced Monday that Gov. Brian Kemp has endorsed his U.S. Senate bid, a high-profile backing as the Georgia race moves toward November and the campaign draws national attention.

Collins confirmed Kemp’s endorsement and thanked the governor, with regional outlets reporting Kemp threw his support behind the Republican congressman on Sept. 14, 2026, as Collins seeks to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.

A generic campaign field office exterior at dusk with empty folding chairs and stacked literature boxes on a table, an unbranded campaign sign board leaned against a wall

The endorsement was widely reported by local and national outlets; Fox5 Atlanta and CBS Atlanta published accounts saying Kemp officially backed Collins in his push to unseat Ossoff.

Those same reports note Kemp had previously backed another Republican in the contest before shifting to Collins, framing the endorsement as an attempt to unify GOP support ahead of the general election.

An anonymous group of people watching a political speech on a large screen outdoors, faces blurred and backs to camera, small American flags in hands

That development comes while Collins remains under review by the U.S. House ethics apparatus. Reuters and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the House Ethics Committee has been reviewing allegations that Collins misused taxpayer funds and improperly hired staff, opening a separate line of scrutiny for his Senate campaign.

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff has publicly urged Collins to testify under oath about the ethics review, according to a C-SPAN transcript and campaign statements cited in recent coverage.

Political analysts and local reporters say Kemp’s endorsement gives Collins a headline-making ally but does not erase the ethics questions that opponents are using to press their case against him. The Hill and Georgia Recorder coverage outlines how the ethics review and past controversies have already shaped campaign messaging on both sides.

Sources

Fox5 Atlanta — reported Gov. Brian Kemp endorsed Mike Collins on Sept. 14, 2026.
CBS Atlanta — reported Kemp’s endorsement and Collins’s statement thanking the governor.
Reuters — reported the House Ethics Committee review into allegations against Rep. Mike Collins.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution — covered the ethics complaint and related reporting.
The Hill — provided context on how the endorsement fits GOP dynamics in the Georgia Senate race.
Georgia Recorder — reported on the timeline of the ethics review and related inquiries.