Collins confronts ethics complaint as Georgia runoff general election looms
Collins confronts ethics complaint in competitive general election against Ossoff as economy dominates Georgia voter concerns.
Event / Politics
Georgia Senate Republican Runoff 2026
Republican primary runoff in Georgia's 2026 Senate race between Trump-endorsed Rep. Mike Collins and Gov. Brian Kemp-backed Derek Dooley, with the winner facing Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff in the general election.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 14 Jun, 17:36 UTC
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What happened
Jon Ossoff has 9-11 percent probability of being 2028 Democratic presidential nominee
Prediction markets give Senator Jon Ossoff a 9 to 11 percent probability of becoming the 2028 Democratic presidential nominee. Polymarket puts him at 9 percent, behind California Governor Gavin Newsom at 25 percent and tied with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 9 percent. Kalshi gives him 11 percent odds, behind Newsom's 23 percent.
Collins to face Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff in November 2026 general election
Mike Collins will compete against Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in the 2026 general election for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat. Ossoff, first elected in 2020 and reelected in 2021, has built a significant fundraising network with $32.5 million on hand as of late April 2026. Collins reported having less than $1.2 million remaining after raising $4.9 million through the end of May.
Mike Collins faces ethics complaint regarding congressional resources
Rep. Mike Collins faces an Office of Congressional Conduct investigation alleging he abused taxpayer funds by paying the girlfriend of his former top adviser for congressional job duties she allegedly did not fulfill. After an initial investigation, a federal panel forwarded the matter to the House Ethics Committee.
Economy and inflation top issues for Georgia voters in 2026
According to an Echelon Insights poll from April 2026, the economy and inflation are the top issues for Georgia voters, reflecting widespread economic concerns among the state's electorate heading into the midterm elections.
Mike Collins wins Georgia Republican Senate primary runoff with 55.2 percent of vote
Rep. Mike Collins defeated Derek Dooley in Georgia's Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff on June 17, 2026, securing 55.2 percent of the vote. The runoff was necessary after both candidates failed to achieve a majority in the May 19 primary election. Collins, a congressman representing Georgia's 10th District and owner of a trucking company, received an endorsement from President Donald Trump days before the runoff vote.
Prediction markets favor Ossoff to win Georgia Senate seat in 2026
Prediction markets show Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff with an 81 to 86.6 percent probability of winning the Georgia Senate race against Republican Rep. Mike Collins, with Collins' probability ranging from 13.4 to 19 percent. On Polymarket, Ossoff has an 85 percent chance of winning compared to 16 percent for Republicans.
Trump's approval rating underwater in Georgia
President Trump's approval rating in Georgia is negative, with a net approval rating of -20 percent. Fifty-seven percent of Georgia voters disapprove of his handling of his second term, and 59 percent disapprove of his handling of the economy.
Early polling gives Ossoff advantage over Collins in Georgia Senate race
Multiple polls conducted in 2026 show Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff leading Republican Rep. Mike Collins in early general election matchups. An April survey from Echelon Insights found Ossoff at 51 percent to Collins' 44 percent. An Emerson College poll from late February showed a closer race with Ossoff ahead by 4 percentage points. The RealClearPolitics polling average puts Ossoff ahead by approximately 3 points, and Cook Political Report rates the race as leaning Democrat.
President Trump endorses Mike Collins for Georgia Senate seat
President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Mike Collins for Georgia's Republican Senate nomination, calling him a 'true Friend, Fighter, and WARRIOR.' The endorsement came days before the June 17, 2026 runoff election and came after early voting had ended.
Mike Collins sponsored Laken Riley Act requiring detention of immigrants accused of crimes
Rep. Mike Collins sponsored the Laken Riley Act, enacted in 2025, which requires immigrants accused of certain crimes to be detained. The law is named after a Georgia nursing student killed in 2021 by a Venezuelan man who was in the U.S. illegally. Collins plans to use immigration enforcement as a contrast point against Senator Ossoff in the general election.
Georgia secretary of state race offers choice between election denier and moderate
In Georgia's open secretary of state race, Republicans can choose between Vernon Jones, an outright election denier who backed Trump's 'stop the steal' movement, and Tim Fleming, a state lawmaker who acknowledges 'irregularities' in 2020 without explicitly endorsing election fraud claims. This race comes in the wake of Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.
Georgia holds primary runoffs for GOP Senate and governor nominations
Georgia voters went to the polls on Tuesday for primary runoff elections to determine Republican nominees for U.S. Senate and governor. The Senate runoff featured Rep. Mike Collins against Derek Dooley, while the gubernatorial runoff featured Lt. Gov. Burt Jones against businessman Rick Jackson. The winners will face Democratic incumbents in the general election.
Trump endorsement tested in Georgia gubernatorial runoff
In the Georgia gubernatorial primary runoff, Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones faced self-funded businessman Rick Jackson, who has invested over $93 million of his own money in the campaign. Gov. Brian Kemp made a late endorsement of Jones on Sunday, testing the comparative power of Trump's and Kemp's endorsements against Jackson's spending.
Rep. Mike Collins faces House ethics complaint over alleged misuse of funds
Rep. Mike Collins faces a House ethics complaint alleging he abused taxpayer money by paying the girlfriend of a former top aide for a congressional job she allegedly did not perform. An initial inquiry resulted in a referral to the House ethics committee.
Senate runoff winner will face incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff
The Republican nominee from the Georgia Senate primary runoff will face incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff in the general election. Ossoff is the only Democratic senator running in a state Trump won in 2024, and Democrats view keeping his seat as crucial to gaining Senate control.
Governor runoff winner will face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
The Republican nominee from the Georgia gubernatorial primary runoff will face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the general election. Bottoms is the Democratic nominee for governor.
Trump endorses Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia Senate primary runoff
President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Mike Collins, a second-term congressman, in the Georgia GOP Senate primary runoff against Derek Dooley. Collins describes himself as a 'MAGA warrior' and has Trump's backing, while Dooley has the support of outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp.
Governor Brian Kemp backs Derek Dooley in Georgia Senate runoff
Outgoing Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp endorsed former football coach Derek Dooley in the Senate runoff, appearing in campaign advertisements and joining Dooley on the campaign trail. Kemp recruited Dooley, a childhood friend, to run for the seat. The endorsement reflects Kemp's past disagreements with Trump over the 2020 election outcome.
Trump endorses Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia Senate GOP runoff
President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Rep. Mike Collins in the Georgia Senate runoff election scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, 2026. Trump described Collins as a loyal ally who 'has been with me from the very beginning' and called him a 'true friend, fighter, and WARRIOR.' Collins is competing against former football coach Derek Dooley, who is backed by outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp.
Mike Collins wins May primary with 40% of vote in Georgia Senate race
In the May 19, 2026 primary for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat, Republican Rep. Mike Collins finished first with 40% of the vote. Derek Dooley received 30% and Rep. Buddy Carter received 25%, with no candidate achieving a majority. This resulted in a runoff between Collins and Dooley scheduled for June 17, 2026.
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2 alternative perspectives
Collins wins runoff, faces Ossoff in Georgia Senate general
Collins wins Republican runoff to face Ossoff; early polling favors the Democratic incumbent.
Georgia secretary of state race pits election denier against moderate
Georgia secretary of state race offers voters a choice between an election denier and a moderate.
Ethics complaint filed against Collins over alleged fund misuse
House ethics complaint filed against Collins alleging fund misuse during his Senate runoff campaign.
Georgia runoffs set stage for Trump-backed Collins versus Ossoff
Georgia Republican runoffs will determine nominees to face Democratic incumbents Ossoff and Bottoms.
Ossoff faces reelection as sole Georgia Democrat in Trump state
Ossoff is Georgia's sole Democratic Senate incumbent seeking reelection in a Trump-won state.
Collins authored Trump's first signed bill as immigration measure
Collins authored Trump's first signed bill, the Laken Riley Act, focusing on immigration enforcement.
Trump and Kemp back opposing candidates in Georgia runoff
Trump and Kemp back different candidates in Georgia's Republican Senate runoff.