Trump endorses in Georgia Republican US Senate primary election | US midterm elections 2026 News

Donald Trump chooses Mike Collins over Derek Dooley in the race to determine who will face Democrat Jon Ossoff in the November midterms.

The President of the United States Donald Trump has given approval late in a Republican district in a key US Senate race in Georgia ahead of the US midterm elections.

In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump endorsed US representative Mike Collins over former football coach and political newcomer Derek Dooley.

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Collins and Dooley will meet in the Republican primary on Tuesday to determine who will challenge Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, in the November midterm elections.

Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump praised Collins for his strong support of his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement and “a true friend, fighter, and WARRIOR”.

Ossoff entered the office in 2021 as part of a blue state in Georgia that saw the majority vote for former US President Joe Biden, as well as his fellow Democrat, Senator Raphael Warnock.

Georgia, which for many years was controlled by the Republicans, turned its back on Trump in the 2024 vote. Defeating Ossoff is seen as one of the best chances for the Republican Party to take a new seat in the 100-member chamber, where they hope to overcome the shortfall of 53 seats.

Democrats are hoping to win the Senate in November, which would put a wall on Trump’s agenda for his final two years in office.

Republicans are divided

Trump’s endorsement puts Collins at odds with Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who supported Dooley.

Kemp has been a supporter of Trump, but has clashed with him on several issues, most notably Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election in Georgia was marred by fraud.

Dooley said that he did not vote in 2016 or 2020 when Trump was on the ballot, and said that the results of the election in Georgia were acceptable.

Collins took about 40 percent of the vote in the Republican primary in Georgia on May 19, while Dooley took about 30 percent. Representative Buddy Carter, who did not attend the race, came in a close third.

It remains unclear what impact Trump’s endorsement will have. He announced this before the early voting was over to escape.

Trump’s endorsement has seen mixed results in the early season.

Trump’s decision to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appeared to help in the MAGA believer’s defeat of US Senator John Cornyn in the Texas primary.

Cornyn was considered the strongest Republican candidate to run against James Talarico in the general election.

In Iowa, Trump’s late endorsement of U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra gave him no chance of defeating Republican Zach Lahn in the primary race.

Continuing in the second round at Georgia, Alabama will also have several run offs on Tuesday. That includes the Republican race for the red seat of U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor.

Oklahoma and the federal district of Washington, DC, will also have early voting.