ATLANTA — On Tuesday, voters headed back to the polls for a number of primary runoff races, including the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
FULL SPEECH:
Rep. Mike Collins faced off with political newcomer and former football coach Derek Dooley in a runoff for Senate.
The Associated Press has now declared Rep. Collins the winner. He will advance to the November general election in an effort to unseat incumber Senator Jon Ossoff.
LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: Georgia votes in 2026 primary runoffs]
Since 2023, Rep. Collins has represented Georgia’s 10th Congressional district, which is made up of a large portion of east Georgia between Atlanta and Augusta, including Athens, Jackson and Winder.
He received nearly 41% of the vote on May 19.
A former businessman, Collins began a trucking company in the 1990s. He has since served as Chairman of one of Georgia’s largest credit unions, saying he plans to focus on small business owners.
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Throughout his campaign, Collins has highlighted his conservative voting record on Capitol Hill.
Collins was born and raised in Jackson, in the district he now represents.
He graduated from Georgia State University with a business degree. He and his wife, Leigh Ann, have three children and four grandchildren.
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Sen. Ossoff released a statement on Tuesday night after Collins was declared the winner, calling his opponent a “notorious bigot” who only became a Congressman because of his father.
“Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate Mike Collins is a notorious bigot, antisemite, and extremist currently under federal investigation for the illegal misuse of tax dollars. Collins, who is only a congressman because his daddy was a congressman, voted to double health insurance premiums for more than a million Georgians, for the Iran War, and for the Trump tariffs.”
— Senator Jon Ossoff
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