Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), a hardcore Trump supporter who is a candidate for U.S. Senate, is going to move forward in a runoff after a powerful primary election showing on May 19, 2026. The GOP primary race was stacked, however, three candidates were seen as the top contenders going into Election Day. Those three were Rep. Buddy Carter, Rep. Collins, and former college football coach Derek Dooley.
Collins, who created a successful trucking company before deciding to get into politics, campaigned himself as being the most dedicated individual to the America First agenda, pledging to execute President Donald Trump’s legislative priorities as best he could, should voters elect him to the Senate. His campaign platform heavily focused on border security, economic issues, and opposition to incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Carter, who also has a background in the business world, was the operator of a highly profitable pharmacy before he opted to enter into the political sphere. Before he was elected to the House of Representatives, Carter served as the Mayor of Pooler, along with a stint in the Georgia General Assembly. He graduated from the University of Georgia, and spent significant effort in his campaign shining a spotlight on his experience with health care and business, making constituent services a focal point of his platform.
According to a report from Trending Politics News, the third candidate, Dooley, a former football coach who got in the race as a political outsider, received the backing of term-limited GOP Gov. Brian Kemp. His campaign focused on taking the idea of America First and applying it to Georgia, meaning he would put the interests of his state above those of Washington. He pulled on his coaching background to present themes of teamwork and resilience.
A lot of money was spent on the Georgia primary race. Ossoff currently holds a dominant financial edge with over $77 million raised and $31-32 million cash on hand at the end of April 2026. Carter led in fundraising among Republicans, pulling in $6.7-$6.8 million during the race. Collins managed to raise $4.3 million, while Dooley pulled up the rear with $3.7 million.
The Republicans have burned through most of the cash they had in a bid to cinch the Republican Party nomination, which means that regardless of which of the three becomes the nominee, they will have a significant cash disadvantage heading into the general election later this year. In order for an individual to win the primary, they must secure more than 50% of the vote.
With the GOP field so crowded — not to mention the significant number of undecided voters — no one managed to clear the threshold. “As of the latest reports with roughly 20-25 percent of votes counted, Collins held a commanding lead in the mid-40 percent range, well ahead of the rest of the field,” TPN reported.
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The data points toward Collins being the clear favorite to win the runoff, where he could pull in support from the other candidates no longer in the race. During the 2024 presidential race, Georgia cast its ballots for Donald Trump. However, Ossoff was first elected to his seat during the 2020-2021 election cycle and remains a powerful adversary for conservatives.