(The Center Square) – Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins joined a growing field hoping to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026.
Collins aligned himself with President Donald Trump in a video posted on social media Monday simply titled, “I’m in.” He spent the longest part of the announcement talking about the Laken Riley Act, which he sponsored in the House of Representatives.
Riley was killed in February 2024 in Athens, Ga., by José Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan native illegally in America.
“I wrote the Laken Riley Act so that we can deport criminal illegal aliens wherever they are, making sure this never happens again,” Collins said.
Collins joins Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who was the first out of the gate to announce his candidacy after Gov. Brian Kemp said he would not run for the seat. Insurance Commissioner John King was also in the race but dropped out last week.
Kemp is reportedly backing a possible run by Derek Dooley, the former Tennessee Volunteers head football coach and son of the late Vince Dooley who led the University of Georgia as athletic director and legendary football coach. Kemp and Dooley are said to be personal friends.
Georgia has not set the dates for the party primaries. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
