Mike Collins advances in Georgia runoff, Atlanta News reports

atlanta news: Georgia Republicans are voting Tuesday in a runoff that will settle their nominee for U.S. Senate, with U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley as the finalists. Collins led the May 19 primary with about 41% of the vote, while Dooley finished with about 30% and U.S. Rep. Earl 'Buddy' Carter took 25%.

Collins and Dooley

The runoff will decide who challenges Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. Collins entered the final round after finishing first on May 19, and Donald Trump endorsed him on Sunday.

Dooley reached the runoff after Brian Kemp backed him on Sunday, a move that likely helped him edge out Carter for second place. Kemp also endorsed Burt Jones in the governor’s race on Sunday, while Trump endorsed Jones in that contest.

Georgia Ballot on Tuesday

Tuesday’s runoff is not limited to the Senate race. Georgia Republicans are also choosing nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, state school superintendent, labor commissioner, public service commission races, and several congressional and state legislative districts where no candidate won a majority on May 19.

Jones was the top vote-getter in the Republican primary for governor with about 38% of the vote, and healthcare executive Rick Jackson received about 33%. Those margins left the governor’s race in the same runoff structure now deciding the Senate nominee.

Ossoff and the Senate Map

The Georgia winner will face Ossoff in a state that remains central to the fight for Senate control. Republicans hold 53 Senate seats and can afford to lose up to three seats and still keep control with Vice President JD Vance casting tie-breaking votes.

For voters, the immediate decision is narrower than the broader stakes: they are choosing between Collins and Dooley for the Republican line on the November ballot, after the May 19 primary split the field and forced Tuesday’s runoff.