Georgia GOP leaders report growing concerns that Rep. Mike Collins’ U.S. Senate candidacy has already been lost, potentially jeopardizing other Republican contenders in the state.
Collins, a Georgia Republican running against Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff, has faced multiple challenges since launching his campaign. These include controversies involving his son-in-law David Alan Scheer II and former congressional intern Preston Parra, an ongoing House ethics investigation, and significant fundraising disadvantages.
According to sources, party leaders now view Collins’ campaign as lost, with some strategists warning that a defeat by more than six percentage points could harm other GOP candidates due to straight-ticket voting patterns. “There’s a general concern that Collins isn’t the right candidate or running the right campaign to defeat Ossoff,” said Nathan Gonzales.
Polling data indicates Ossoff leads Collins with margins fluctuating but consistently showing Ossoff ahead. A recent August survey showed Ossoff leading Collins 50%-43%, with 7% undecided.
Collins’ campaign disputes the notion that the race is slipping away, asserting recent polls show improvement. “There are repeated public polls that show the race moving in Mike’s direction, so to report anything otherwise is to be willfully ignorant of reality,” said campaign spokesman Meyer Siegfried.
Collins maintains strong Republican support, including endorsements from President Donald Trump and significant contributions from GOP-aligned groups. However, he faces a steep fundraising gap: Ossoff has raised about $98 million this election cycle through June 30 compared with Collins’ $7.4 million.
The campaign has also faced scrutiny over associates. Collins condemned racist and antisemitic social media posts attributed to his son-in-law David Alan Scheer II, stating Scheer has no campaign role. Separately, former congressional intern Preston Parra appeared in social media images wearing Ku Klux Klan robes and sharing a swastika.
Collins’ campaign described the posts as “vile and unhinged,” while Ossoff has sought to make the controversy a campaign issue. Collins also faces a House Ethics Committee investigation over alleged misuse of congressional resources, which he has called meritless.
Despite these setbacks, Collins asserts Republicans can win statewide in November, portraying Ossoff as out of step with Georgia voters. The Senate race remains critical for Republicans seeking to expand their Senate ranks while Georgia Democrats target the governor’s office and state legislative seats.
