President Donald Trump jumped into Georgia’s high-profile Republican Senate runoff on Sunday, throwing his support behind Rep. Mike Collins as the GOP battle to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff enters its final stretch.
The endorsement came just two days after early voting concluded and less than 48 hours before Republican voters headed to the polls to decide between Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley. Trump’s backing adds another major test of his influence in Republican primaries, where his endorsed candidates have generally performed well throughout the 2026 election cycle.
“It is my Great Honor to endorse ‘MAGA’ Mike Collins, a Highly Respected Congressman who has been with me from the very beginning, and is running for the United States Senate in Georgia,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president praised Collins as a loyal supporter of the America First movement and highlighted both his business background and congressional record.
“Mike is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected MAGA Patriots in Georgia and beyond, and many Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate — He is a WARRIOR and WINNER!” Trump wrote.
Collins, who currently represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, has built a reputation as a staunch Trump ally since arriving in Congress. Among his most prominent legislative efforts was support for the Laken Riley Act, which Trump signed into law in January 2025. The law requires federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants accused of theft-related offenses.
Trump’s endorsement emphasized many of the issues that have become central to Republican campaigns nationwide, including border security, energy production, tax reductions, election integrity, crime, and Second Amendment protections.
“As your next Senator, Mike will continue to work hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Strengthen our incredible Military/Veterans, Advance Election Integrity, Keep our Border SECURE,” Trump wrote.
The president did not limit his comments to praising Collins. He also took aim at Collins’ runoff opponent, Derek Dooley.
Dooley is best known for his coaching career, including his tenure as head football coach at the University of Tennessee. While Trump acknowledged that he did not know Dooley personally, he questioned the former coach’s ties to Georgia and his past voting history.
“I don’t know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person,” Trump wrote. “Unfortunately, he has lived outside of Georgia for most of his life, didn’t vote in 2020 or 2016, and said that I lost Georgia in 2020.”
The endorsement arrives at a critical moment in the race. Polling averages leading into the runoff showed Collins holding a significant advantage over Dooley, with RealClearPolitics averaging his lead at roughly 12.7 percentage points. Trump’s intervention could further solidify Collins’ standing among Republican voters heading into Election Day.
The winner of the runoff will immediately turn attention toward the general election contest against Ossoff, one of the Democrats’ most prominent Senate incumbents. Republicans have targeted the Georgia seat as a key pickup opportunity, viewing the race as one of the most competitive Senate battles of the cycle.
