Derek Dooley campaigns for the U.S. Senate Republican nomination. (Rahul Bali/WABE)
Congressman Mike Collins and political newcomer Derek Dooley are crisscrossing the state to rally up support for their U.S. Senate campaigns heading into the June 16 Republican runoff election.
Both men are positing themselves as the better candidate to challenge current U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff from Georgia.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp devoted a significant amount of time campaigning with former football coach Dooley, including a stop in Alpharetta, where he argued it is time to vote out Ossoff.
“We have a diverse state, but it ain’t 98% of the time with Joe Biden, and that is where Ossoff has been,” Kemp said. “We need a political outsider to stay on offense against his record and not have to defend their own.”
Dooley said Democrats are attacking him more than Collins because they see Collins as a weaker candidate due to ongoing controversy around a House ethics investigation for abusing taxpayer money, as well as controversial social media posts by himself and a congressional aide who is no longer working with Collins due to the posts.
Dooley said that makes Collins an easy target for attacks if the Senate race ends up between Collins and Ossoff.
But Dooley hasn’t been free of controversy in the final weeks of campaigning, either.
Ahead of the upcoming special legislative session, some state lawmakers called for an investigation into an alleged “pay-to-play” scheme reported by 11Alive involving Kemp and a school-security business owned by Dooley’s brother. Another news outlet, Courier Georgia, reported on additional allegations of pay-to-play schemes regarding lakefront properties formerly owned by Kemp being sold to people who then both received government contracts and donated to Kemp’s PAC, which is supporting Dooley’s campaign.
While Kemp and Dooley have formed an alliance, there’s been no endorsement from President Donald Trump or Congressman Buddy Carter, who finished third in the May primary with 25% of the vote.
But other Republicans showed up to support Collins. In Hiram, Republican State Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte campaigned with him.
Congressman Mike Collins campaigning to be the Republican nominee running against U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff from Georgia. (Rahul Bali/WABE)
“Despite all the challenges, despite all the negative ads, despite everything else that people want to go around town and talk about, Mike Collins is the one that’s gonna defend our values, stand up for us, and he’s gonna show up,” Anavirtarte said.
Both men have hard-line stances restricting immigration, which is one of Collins’ main platforms.
“If you don’t pick out the toughest fighter, someone that is a proven conservative leader that’s going to fight for your values and my values, you’re gonna have a hard time beating a tough incumbent, wouldn’t you agree?” Collins said.
