The race to unseat Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) in the 2026 election is hotter than ever, and the GOP primary is well underway. One candidate is emerging as the clear winner in fundraising.
For the uninitiated, let’s meet the cast of characters. There’s Rep. Buddy Carter. He’s sending out mailers that purport to highlight his MAGA cred, but, to paraphrase the late Mitch Hedberg, Team Carter is basically saying, “Here, you throw this away.” Despite the amount of Carter cardstock floating around, he’s not making much of an impact.
Then there’s Derek Dooley, the former college football coach. He’s trading on the famous name of his late father, legendary University of Georgia football coach and athletic director, Vince Dooley, albeit without the UGA ties (the younger Dooley most famously coached at the University of Tennessee), gridiron success, or winning personality.
Gov. Brian Kemp has handpicked Dooley as his preferred candidate for some reason. Kemp has poured tons of money from his Hardworking Americans PAC to keep Dooley in the race, including streaming ads galore. Voters are seeing right through Dooley, however.
Insurance Commissioner John King briefly threw his hat into the ring. As a veteran and the first statewide Hispanic elected official, he was an intriguing candidate, but he didn’t make much of a splash. Now he’s taken on the role of general GOP cheerleader, holding up the message of “Y’all, we’ve got to defeat Ossoff!”
Finally, there’s Rep. Mike Collins. His campaign has branded him as “Georgia’s Conservative Workhorse,” and the nickname couldn’t be more apt. He’s the congressman behind the Laken Riley Act, and he tirelessly worked both sides of the aisle and both houses of Congress to get the bill passed. He has a great relationship with President Donald Trump, and he’s an America First conservative.
With dozens of endorsements and a ground game that includes passionate volunteers in every single one of Georgia’s 159 counties, Collins has astonishing grassroots support. Polling also shows that Collins is the Republican who can take Ossoff head-on.
Related: All Gas, No Brakes: Mike Collins’ 159-County Blitz for U.S. Senate
But there’s even more good news to report for Collins and his supporters. A brand-new press release touts Collins’ impressive fundraising numbers: $1.9 million in the third quarter of 2025. It’s noteworthy because Collins didn’t begin his campaign until nearly a third of the way through the quarter. Combined with the transfer of about $1 million from Collins' congressional campaign, his team has an impressive war chest to work with.
Side note: When Collins first began talking about running for the Senate, I worried about what that would mean for Georgia’s 10th District, where I live and wholeheartedly supported Collins’ reelection bid. I no longer worry about my district, and I’m hoping to share more about that soon.
“There is no denying this is a movement growing stronger every day, and people are voting with their wallets,” Collins said. “I am amazed and truly grateful for the trust so many have put in this effort. Ours is a campaign fueled by the hardworking people of this state who are energized, mobilized, and ready to fire Jon Ossoff and send an America First conservative workhorse to the U.S. Senate. These fundraising numbers make clear what we have said from the beginning: we will not be outworked, we will not be outhustled, and we will win this race and put the people of Georgia back in the driver’s seat in the United States Senate.”
Collins’ opponents have claimed that fundraising would be an issue for him, but these numbers prove that theory wrong. Even Kemp and Dooley insiders have had to admit that Collins is the favorite among the GOP candidates. Collins has tapped broad support from the business community to the MAGA base, and it’s proving fruitful.
We have no choice but to give Ossoff the boot next November. Mike Collins is the man to do it, and his grassroots groundswell, combined with impressive fundraising, is proving it. I’m stoked about what the future holds for this Senate seat with Collins in the driver’s seat.
???? Schumer Shutdown Sale — 74% OFF PJ Media VIP! ????
Washington may be grinding to a halt, but the truth doesn’t take a holiday. Get real conservative news and commentary from writers who don’t flinch — and do it for 74% off during our Schumer Shutdown Sale!
Use promo code POTUS47 at checkout and join PJ Media VIP today.