Trump's Endorsement Flops as Georgia GOP Picks Jackson Over His Chosen One
President Trump’s endorsement crumbled as Georgia Republicans opted for billionaire healthcare mogul Rick Jackson over his favored candidate in the governor's race.
Rep. Mike Collins, the Republican U.S. Senate nominee, crushed his opponent in the runoff, setting up a showdown with incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff. This matchup is poised to draw national attention as both parties scramble for Senate control.
Jackson triumphed over GOP Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, positioning himself against Democratic former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the upcoming November election.
Trump backed Jones, a close ally, in August 2025 but only officially endorsed Collins after early voting had concluded, posting a lengthy endorsement in the early hours of Sunday.
This runoff result signifies a significant political setback for term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp, who chose not to enter the Senate race and instead invested heavily in supporting former football coach Derek Dooley.
In his endorsement of Collins, Trump criticized Dooley for lacking strong Georgia ties and for acknowledging Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election. Trump stated, “I don’t know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person. Unfortunately, he has lived outside of Georgia for most of his life, didn’t vote in 2020 or 2016, and said that I lost Georgia in 2020 when, in actuality, the facts have now proven that I won by a lot!”
Supporters of Dooley argued that an outsider could be more electable in a competitive state like Georgia during a challenging year for Republicans.
Republican voters in the runoff clearly disagreed.
Kemp made a last-minute endorsement of Jones over Jackson, who poured over $100 million of his own money into the campaign to convince Republicans he was the best choice for both Trump and Kemp.
Jones played a significant role in attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia and has been instrumental in passing controversial legislation on issues ranging from abortion to voting laws.
Kemp’s assertion that Trump’s endorsed candidate was unsuitable for the Senate but appropriate for governor underscores a growing divide within the Republican Party regarding Trump’s influence on its future.
In the 2026 primary contests, Trump’s endorsements have come earlier than usual and have favored safe incumbents or cleared fields for preferred candidates. His last-minute support for Collins stands out as an anomaly, reminiscent of his late endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton just before his runoff victory against Sen. John Cornyn.
The setback with Jones adds to Trump’s challenges following a late push for Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra, which failed to secure him a win in that state’s governor primary, while South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette faces a tough runoff next week.
