Tipsheet

If You're Mike Collins, You Have to Like This Poll

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  May 28, 2026 8:45 PM


The main runoff isn’t until June 16, but if you’re Mike Collins, you must be feeling confident. The Georgia Republican congressman is in a showdown with Derek Dooley since neither candidate secured 51 percent of the vote in the May 19 primary. Collins received 40 percent, Dooley, who’s supported by Gov. Brian Kemp, got 30 percent, and Earl L. ‘Buddy’ Carter finished with 25 percent. Carter did not advance to the second round. 

In a recent poll by JMC Analytics and Polling, voters were asked if the runoff were held today, who they would vote for. Collins won it running away:

He’s cooking, and the Collins camp has hired a trove of Trump advisers to guide him through the remaining weeks of this campaign (via Axios):

Several of President Trump's top political advisers are joining Rep. Mike Collins' campaign in the Georgia Senate race, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The hires provide the clearest indication yet that Trump may be leaning towards endorsing Collins ahead of his June 16 primary runoff against former University of Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley.

The winner will challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.

Zoom in: Trump 2024 adviser Tony Fabrizio has been tapped to serve as Collins' pollster and senior strategist.

Trump campaign chief data strategist Tim Saler will serve in the same capacity for Collins.

Chip Englander, who was Trump's battleground states' strategist, will be general consultant.

Let’s see what happens.