Derek Dooley conceded Georgia’s Republican Senate runoff to Mike Collins last night, ending a closely watched intraparty battle that pitted former football coach Dooley against the Trump-endorsed congressman. Collins, who will face Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in November, won the June 16 runoff with backing from President Donald Trump, who made a late endorsement just two days before voting began.
The runoff capped a bruising primary fight that exposed deep fractures within Georgia’s GOP. Dooley, 58, had the support of outgoing Governor Brian Kemp, while Collins, also 58, secured Trump’s backing in a contest that became a proxy battle between the former president and the popular Republican governor over the party’s direction.
Trump endorsed Collins on June 14, calling him a “MAGA warrior” and framing him as the stronger candidate to defeat Ossoff. The endorsement gave Collins momentum in the final stretch, though Dooley had argued that his status as a political newcomer made him the better general election candidate. “We have got to get the best candidate to beat Jon Ossoff,” Dooley said at a campaign stop Monday. “The Republican Party has not won a Senate race in 10 years.”
Kemp, who has had a tumultuous relationship with Trump, actively campaigned for Dooley in the final days, appearing at rallies and casting his support as a “one last thing” before leaving office. The governor’s backing highlighted the ongoing tension between Trump and Kemp, a rift that has defined Georgia Republican politics since 2020.
Collins emphasized his voting record and business experience as credentials to challenge Ossoff. The congressman, whose father served in Congress, sponsored the 2025 Laken Riley Act, which requires immigrants accused of certain crimes to be held without bond. The law is named for a Georgia nursing student killed in 2021 by a man who entered the U.S. illegally.
Dooley criticized Collins over a House ethics complaint accusing the congressman of abusing taxpayer money by paying the girlfriend of a former top aide for a congressional job she allegedly did not perform. The matter was referred to the House ethics committee, though an initial inquiry did not resolve the allegation.
The runoff ends what began as a crowded primary field in May 2026. Collins and Dooley emerged from the initial primary to compete in the runoff, which is standard Georgia procedure when no candidate wins an outright majority. The winner will now face Ossoff, a Democrat first elected in 2020 who is among the most vulnerable sitting senators in a state Trump won in 2024.
Georgia is central to the national fight for Senate control. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to secure a majority, and keeping Ossoff’s seat is critical to that strategy. Republicans, who hold a 53-45 majority, view the seat as a prime pickup opportunity.
Sources
- AP News — Confirmed Collins defeated Dooley in the GOP Senate runoff and will face Ossoff in November
- Washington Post — Detailed Trump’s endorsement of Collins and the runoff results
- NPR — Reported Collins won the Republican Senate primary runoff
- NBC News — Provided live runoff results and election coverage
- New York Times — Covered Trump’s endorsement of Collins and Kemp’s support for Dooley
- FOX 5 Atlanta — Reported Dooley’s concession and the runoff outcome
