Republican Rep. Mike Collins is expected to officially enter Georgia’s high-stakes U.S. Senate race next week, sources confirmed to Fox News, setting up a major challenge to Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff in one of the most competitive battleground states of the 2026 midterms.
Collins, a conservative lawmaker and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, has been laying the groundwork for months to run in Georgia—a state Trump narrowly carried in 2024. The seat held by Ossoff is widely seen by Republicans as their top Senate pickup opportunity in the next election cycle.
“Tires kicked. Fueling up,” Collins posted earlier this week alongside a campaign-style video featuring praise from Trump, hinting strongly at his Senate ambitions.
A second-term congressman representing Georgia’s 10th District, Collins built his career as a small business owner and is the son of former Rep. Mac Collins. He has long positioned himself as an “America First” fighter and was among the earliest elected officials in Georgia to support Trump’s 2016 campaign.
A Trump Loyalist with National Reach
Collins played an active role in Trump’s 2024 comeback, traveling to key early primary states like Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, and opening three Trump campaign offices across Georgia. He also campaigned for Trump-aligned House candidates in ten districts across the country, helping the GOP retain its slim majority in Congress.
One of Collins’ signature legislative efforts, the Laken Riley Act, became the first bill signed by Trump after returning to the White House. The legislation—named after a Georgia nursing student killed by an illegal immigrant—requires federal authorities to detain undocumented migrants charged with theft or burglary. The bill quickly passed both chambers.
“He’s got a great relationship with the president and his team,” a Republican source told Fox News. “The lane Mike is going to run in is authentic—it’s the America First lane.”
Ossoff Faces Growing Republican Fire
Sen. Jon Ossoff, who was narrowly elected in 2020, is now seen as one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election. But flipping the seat won’t be easy. Ossoff raised over $10 million in the second quarter of 2024 and now holds more than $15 million in campaign cash.
Democrats wasted no time attacking Collins ahead of his expected launch.
“After voting to strip health care from 750,000 Georgians, Mike Collins wants a promotion?” said Georgia Democratic Party spokesperson Devon Cruz, referring to the Medicaid cuts in the GOP’s recently passed budget signed by Trump. “He’ll get battered in a messy primary while Senator Ossoff continues building momentum.”
A Crowded GOP Field
Collins enters an increasingly competitive Republican primary. Rep. Buddy Carter, a longtime congressman from coastal Georgia, launched his Senate campaign earlier this year and is also pursuing Trump’s endorsement. Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King had briefly joined the race but dropped out on Thursday.
Meanwhile, former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley—son of legendary University of Georgia coach Vince Dooley—is reportedly weighing a bid. Dooley is close with term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp, who declined to enter the Senate race despite strong interest from national GOP leaders.
Early polling shows Collins with an edge over his Republican rivals and competitive against Ossoff in head-to-head matchups.
Trump, whose endorsement remains the most powerful force in Republican politics, has yet to signal which candidate he’ll support. However, Collins’ long track record of support for the president, combined with his early alignment on major legislative efforts, positions him as a natural favorite for Trump loyalists in Georgia and beyond.
