Mike Collins wins Georgia Republican Senate runoff, securing Senate bid

Rep. Mike Collins (R‑GA) defeated first‑time candidate Derek Dooley in the June 16 runoff for Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat, earning roughly 53‑55 % of the vote. Trump posted an eleventh‑hour endorsement of Collins on Truth Social, describing him a “MAGA warrior,” while outgoing Governor Brian Kemp had backed Dooley. Collins, a trucking‑company owner and son of a former congressman, faces Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in the November general election, a contest seen as pivotal for control of the Senate as Republicans hold a narrow majority.

Collins, who sponsored the 2025 Laken Riley Act that detains certain illegal‑immigrant defendants, is under a House Ethics Committee probe over allegations that his chief of staff paid a friend with taxpayer funds. He has raised about $4.9 million for his campaign, with less than $1.2 million remaining, while Ossoff entered the race with roughly $60 million on hand. The outcome will influence legislative direction for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s second term.