Georgia Senate Race 2026

Compare candidates running in this Georgia federal race. Review their positions, voting records, campaign promises, and donor information.

Derek Dooley

Party: Republican

Mike Collins

Party: Republican

Buddy Carter

Party: Republican

Jon Ossoff

Party: Democrat

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Georgia Senate Race

Election: Nov 3, 2026Updated: Apr 6, 2026
📊Polling+5 Ossoff
Ossoff leads most Republican matchups with margins ranging from 3-8 points
Source: Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media2026-03-02
48%
Ossoff
43%
Collins
lean d★ Flip Potential— Sabato

Georgia is one of only two Democratic-held Senate seats in states Trump won in 2024. This race is critical for Republicans seeking to expand their majority and Democrats defending against losses.

Derek DooleyR
Mike CollinsR
Buddy CarterR
Jon OssoffD

Summary

Derek Dooley is a 57-year-old former University of Tennessee football head coach and attorney making his first run for public office. He is the son of legendary University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley and has no prior electoral experience. Dooley entered the Republican primary in August 2025 with backing from Governor Brian Kemp, positioning himself as a political outsider focused on 'Georgia First' leadership. Before coaching, he practiced law in Atlanta. He spent nearly three decades coaching at collegiate and professional levels, including 3 seasons as Tennessee head coach (2010-2012) with a 15-21 record, and assistant coaching roles with NFL teams including Dallas Cowboys and Alabama.

Mike Collins is a 52-year-old U.S. Representative from Georgia's 10th Congressional District (northeast Georgia), serving since 2023 after entering Congress mid-term. He is a self-made businessman who owned and operated Collins Trucking Company, growing it from a single semi-truck to a fleet of 115 trucks employing over 100 Georgians. Collins is described as having an active and sometimes controversial social media presence and is a close Trump ally. He announced his Senate candidacy in July 2025 with messaging focused on border security, economic growth, and cutting government spending, framing himself as the trucker who will 'steamroll the radical left.'

Buddy Carter is a 66-year-old U.S. Representative from Georgia's 1st Congressional District (coastal Georgia including Savannah), serving since 2015 and currently in his sixth term. Before Congress, he served in the Georgia House and Senate for a decade. He is a pharmacist from St. Simons Island with deep ties to southeast Georgia politics. Carter launched his 2026 Senate campaign in May 2025 with messaging framing himself as a 'MAGA warrior' and ardent Trump supporter, citing border security and opposition to transgender participation in sports as key priorities.

Jon Ossoff is the 39-year-old junior U.S. Senator from Georgia, first elected in a 2021 runoff. Before his Senate election, he was an investigative journalist and filmmaker who produced documentaries exposing corruption and human trafficking. He worked as a national security staffer for U.S. Representative Hank Johnson. Ossoff was previously a candidate for the U.S. House in 2017, narrowly losing in a special election. He is the youngest incumbent U.S. senator and serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Campaign Promises

Government
  • Georgia First leadership and outsider perspective
Economy
  • Address inflation, border security, and 'woke stuff'
  • Workforce training and housing affordability
  • Hardworking people should keep more money
Other
  • Prevent biological men in women's sports
Immigration
  • Border security and immigration enforcement
Economy
  • Economic growth and government spending cuts
  • Put Georgia and working-class Americans first
Other
  • Steamroll the radical left and deliver Trump agenda
Immigration
  • Border security and immigration enforcement
Other
  • Prevent transgender athletes in women's sports
  • Support Trump's Greenland acquisition effort
Economy
  • Support Trump's America First agenda
Healthcare
  • Healthcare expansion and Affordable Care Act protection
  • Protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
Other
  • Aggressive grassroots turnout effort
Government
  • Government accountability and constituent services

Key Issue Positions

Outsider Perspective vs. Professional Politicians
Anti-establishment; criticizes professional politicians as part of problem
Core message is that professional politicians like Ossoff 'are the problem' and only outsiders can fix government. Acknowledges he didn't vote for nearly two decades, positioning this as evidence of being outside political system.
Economic Policy
Tax cuts, regulation reduction, workforce development
Promises to reduce government spending and regulations, support tax cuts, promote workforce training, and address housing affordability through deregulation.
Cultural/Social Issues
Traditional values; opposition to transgender athlete participation
Emphasizes 'old fashioned Georgia common sense' on biological sex and sports participation.
Government Accountability
Prevent lawmakers from using taxpayer funds for campaign materials
Promised to introduce legislation preventing lawmakers from using taxpayer funds for campaign-related materials.
Immigration and Law Enforcement
Strong enforcement; critical of Ossoff for insufficient support
Authored Laken Riley Act requiring federal detention of undocumented immigrants accused of burglary and related crimes. Criticizes Ossoff for inadequate support on immigration, claiming Ossoff only voted for the bill because it 'already passed.'
Women's Safety and Protection
Emphasizes protecting women from dangerous illegal immigrants
Campaign focuses on 'Moms for Mike' coalition emphasizing women's safety; attacked Ossoff on whether he understands 'what a real woman is' regarding transgender issues.
Drug Trafficking and Fentanyl
Strong anti-drug trafficking stance
Co-sponsored TRANQ Act addressing synthetic drug trafficking across border.
Immigration and Border Security
Hard-line enforcement; criticism of Ossoff for supporting open borders
Attacks Ossoff for allegedly supporting open borders and claims contrast between Carter as border security advocate and Ossoff as open-border supporter.
Tax Reform
Supports FairTax or Flat Tax to replace income tax system
Sponsor of H.R. 25 (FairTax Act) proposing national sales tax system replacing current income tax structure.
Healthcare
Opposes ACA (Obamacare)
Supporter of ACA repeal; voted against Affordable Care Act protections.
Gun Rights
Strong Second Amendment supporter
Has 'A' grade from National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund for gun rights stances.
Israel
Strong Israel supporter
Pledges to strengthen Israel and keep it safe from violent rogue nations and terrorists.
Healthcare
Strong advocate for healthcare access and reproductive freedom
Supports protecting and expanding ACA subsidies, opposes budget cuts to health programs, supports abortion rights and IVF access. Has a 100-point score from Reproductive Freedom for All.
Israel-Palestine
Nuanced approach supporting Israel's security while opposing unconditional support
In November 2024, supported Sanders resolution to block military aid to Israel; in April 2025, voted against Sanders resolutions to withhold weapons sales to Israel. In July 2025, voted to prohibit sale of automatic rifles to Israel but supported $675.7M weapons sale.
Bipartisanship and Local Focus
Prioritizes working across the aisle on constituent services and local Georgia issues
Ranked 33rd among senators for bipartisanship by Lugar Center in 2023. Works with Republican senators on bills addressing human trafficking, child exploitation, and prison reform. Joined bipartisan investigations into military housing abuses and federal prison corruption.
Immigration
Balances Democratic concerns with law-and-order messaging
Voted for Laken Riley Act requiring federal detention of undocumented immigrants accused of burglary and related crimes. Republicans accuse him of flip-flopping since he initially opposed 2024 procedural vote on GOP amendment.

Top Donors

Dooley's personal fundraising
$2.1 million cash on hand (end 2025)Individual/Small Donor
Raised $1.1M in Q4 2025; appears to be primarily small-dollar fundraising without major donor announcements
Governor Brian Kemp political network
Endorsement and staff supportPolitical Network
Kemp provided political capital and hired staff with Kemp ties to Dooley campaign
Retired individuals
$619,698Individual
Top donor category source in House campaign; likely reflects older demographic support base
Small individual contributions
40.84% of contributionsSmall Donor
Significant small-dollar fundraising; campaign emphasizes grassroots support with average $47.31 contribution
Large individual contributions
31.50% of contributionsIndividual
Over-$200 individual donors providing substantial support
PAC contributions
21.78% of contributionsIndustry PAC
Various PACs including business and conservative groups
Georgia Crown Distributing
$26,400Business
Distribution company donations
Carter's personal loan
$1,000,000Self-financing
Self-loaned $1M to campaign in Q4 2025
Health Professionals PACs
$329,777Industry PAC
Largest PAC donor source from his House career; likely due to pharmacy background
American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
$35,666Advocacy PAC
Pro-Israel PAC contributions reflecting Carter's Israel support stance
Buddy PAC (Leadership PAC)
Multiple contributions to other candidatesLeadership PAC
Carter's own PAC distributing funds to build political capital
Alphabet Inc (Google)
$1,219,759Technology Industry
Top individual donor source over election cycles
Small-dollar donors
$25,000,000+ (2026 race)Small Donor
93% of Q3-Q4 2025 donations were under $100; 303,000 small-dollar donors in Q4 2025 alone
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Endorsement and coordinated supportAdvocacy PAC
Co-hosting campaign events and mobilizing for Ossoff
Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL)
Endorsement and supportAdvocacy PAC
First slate of 2026 endorsements; part of major reproductive rights mobilization
Senate Majority PAC
Six-figure independent expenditure ad buySuper PAC
Ally group Majority Forward running ads on healthcare

Contradictions

Claim: Dooley positions himself as political outsider who hasn't participated in Washington politics
Contradiction: Acknowledges he didn't vote for nearly 20 years, raising questions about his credibility as concerned citizen willing to engage politically.
Source: News reports noting Dooley's lack of voting history before 2026 candidacy
Claim: Dooley says he wants to bring fresh perspective and not be focused on political career
Contradiction: Has been actively campaigning and traveling county-to-county with Governor Kemp support, behaving like traditional politician despite outsider rhetoric.
Source: Campaign activity reports and endorsement touring with Kemp
Claim: Dooley positions himself as successful football coach
Contradiction: Had losing record at Tennessee with 15-21 overall record and was fired; finished tenure 0-8; only continued in coaching through assistant roles.
Source: Tennessee football coaching record and career trajectory
Claim: Collins criticizes Ossoff for insufficient immigration support, claiming he only voted for Laken Riley because it already passed
Contradiction: Ossoff did vote for final passage of Laken Riley Act alongside 11 other Democrats; his 'late' support still represents agreement with the bill's enforcement measures.
Source: Collins campaign statements at Johns Creek event; Ossoff's voting record on Laken Riley Act
Claim: Collins frames himself as independent trucker businessman outsider
Contradiction: Has served in Congress since 2023 and is member of Freedom Caucus, making him part of established GOP structure; not an outsider to political system.
Source: House voting record and committee assignments showing establishment Republican status
Claim: Carter frames himself as America First candidate focused on Trump's agenda
Contradiction: Has served 6 terms in House since 2015, making him an establishment Republican despite MAGA rhetoric; his record shows standard conservative voting without unique achievements.
Source: Carter's House voting record and career trajectory
Claim: Carter criticizes Ossoff for supporting open borders and DEI
Contradiction: Ossoff voted for Laken Riley Act requiring detention of undocumented immigrants accused of crimes, showing he is not uniformly pro-open borders as Carter claims.
Source: Senate voting record on Laken Riley Act, 2025; Carter's campaign statements
Claim: Ossoff claims strong bipartisan work record
Contradiction: While he does work with Republicans on specific bills, his overall voting record aligns 97% with Biden/Democratic positions, suggesting limited ideological divergence.
Source: Associated Press 2025 report noting tension between 'Ossoff who criticizes Trump' and 'Ossoff who works with Republicans on Georgia interests'
Claim: Ossoff positions himself as focused on local Georgia issues and constituent services
Contradiction: Recent months show him making national attacks on Trump administration, departing from historical hyper-local focus; he's 'broken from his hyper-local focus in recent months to deliver stinging attacks on Trump.'
Source: Detroit News, March 2026
Claim: Ossoff voted for Laken Riley Act to address immigration concerns
Contradiction: Republicans attack him for flip-flopping, noting he initially opposed 2024 procedural vote offering GOP amendment for similar policy; only voted for final passage after Democratic negotiation weakened it.
Source: NRSC attacks in 2025; AP reporting on Senate Democrats' evolving position on Laken Riley Act

What Opponents Say

Mike Collins

Dooley is weak candidate and 'never fights, never wins, never Trump'

Collins campaign ad attacked Dooley for not supporting Trump during assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, claiming 'not a word, not a penny of support, didn't lift a finger.'

Buddy Carter

Dooley is product of establishment machine and not true Trump fighter

Carter campaign stated 'Georgians know the difference between a fighter who stands with Trump versus a product of the same establishment machine that tried to stop him.'

Democratic Senate Majority PAC

Dooley is weak candidate; father's fame won't win Senate seat

Democrats' assessment: 'Already seen as a weak candidate by Trump White House, Derek Dooley is going to quickly discover his father's fame won't win him a Senate seat.'

Derek Dooley

Collins' House Ethics review and controversial social media profile disqualify him

Dooley's campaign attacked Collins as 'washed up lawyer and failed coach' and referenced House Committee on Ethics investigation.

Buddy Carter

Collins' MAGA social media presence could alienate moderate voters

Political observers noted Collins' 'blisteringly MAGA social media presence that could alienate moderate voters' in swing state.

Democratic groups

Collins' aggressive social media history and rhetoric disqualify him from Senate

Democrats plan to use Collins' controversial online behavior against him in general election.

Mike Collins

Carter is establishment and not true to MAGA cause

Collins' campaign has attacked Carter for being part of establishment machine; Republicans squabble over who is truest Trump ally in primary.

Democratic Party

Carter alignment with Trump puts him at disadvantage in general election

Democrats argue Trump's policies are unpopular and Carter's close alignment makes him vulnerable in swing state.

Mike Collins

Ossoff doesn't represent Georgia values and is 'California's third senator'

Collins argues Ossoff supports open borders and DEI policies Georgians reject; claims Ossoff is beholden to far-left wing of Democratic Party.

Buddy Carter

Ossoff is a 'trans warrior' supporting transgender rights while Carter offers a 'MAGA warrior'

Carter's campaign ad draws contrast on transgender athletes in sports and other cultural issues, using provocative language to frame choice as between MAGA and progressive values.

Derek Dooley

Professional politicians like Ossoff represent 'lawlessness, open season on the border, inflation everywhere, woke stuff'

Dooley positions himself as outsider against professional politician Ossoff; criticizes inflation and border policies during Biden-Harris administration when Ossoff served.

National Republicans (NRSC)

Ossoff showed 'spineless complacency' on immigration and flip-flopped on Laken Riley Act

Republicans point to initial Democratic opposition to 2024 procedural vote offering GOP amendment on immigration, versus later support for Laken Riley Act.

Endorsements

Governor Brian Kempindividual
Dooley family political legacyindividual
President Donald Trumpindividual
Trump-aligned Republicansorganization
President Donald Trumpindividual
Trump Administrationorganization
Planned Parenthood Action Fundorganization
Reproductive Freedom for Allorganization
Senate Majority PACorganization
Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA)individual
DSCC Chair Kirsten Gillibrandindividual
J Street PACorganization
View Derek Dooley's Full Profile →View Mike Collins's Full Profile →View Buddy Carter's Full Profile →View Jon Ossoff's Full Profile →