Mike Collins, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, won the Georgia Republican Senate primary runoff on June 16, defeating Derek Dooley with roughly 55% of the vote, according to preliminary results [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Collins will face Democratic incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff in the November 2026 midterm election [s1-s5].

Collins has served in the U.S. House since 2023, representing Georgia’s 10th Congressional District. He ran as a loyalist to Trump and a MAGA supporter, focusing on immigration enforcement and denying the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election [2, 3, 5]. "We all know what the mission is here," Collins said after his runoff victory [4]. He also praised Trump’s late endorsement, saying, "I don't think President Trump ever is too late. He has this impeccable ability of putting his thumb right on the scale at the right time with whatever he wants to do" [5].

Derek Dooley, a lawyer and former college football coach, was backed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who campaigned actively for him [s1-s3,s5]. Dooley is the son of legendary University of Georgia coach Vince Dooley [s1-s3,s5].

Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff has represented Georgia since 2021 and is viewed as a rising star in the party [2, 3]. He has raised over $57 million through May, vastly out-fundraising Collins, who raised between $4.3 million and $4.9 million in the same period [1, 4]. Ossoff called Collins an "extremist" and criticized his voting record on issues such as the Iran conflict [4].

Georgia is a key battleground for control of the Senate. Democrats need to net four seats in November to regain majority, with Georgia and Michigan as top GOP targets [1]. The Democratic Senate Majority PAC has reserved $20 million in TV ads in Georgia, while the Republican Senate Leadership Fund has pledged $44 million [1].

On the same day as the Senate runoff, Georgia Republicans also chose billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson over Trump-backed Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones for governor after a contentious campaign involving lawsuits and election law challenges [2, 3].

The November midterm elections will decide if Ossoff retains his seat against Collins, with major outside spending expected in the race.