Voters in Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Washington, D.C., are casting ballots in primary and runoff elections today, with the most closely watched races unfolding in Georgia. The state's Republican Senate runoff pits Rep. Mike Collins, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, against Derek Dooley, backed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. The winner will challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November, a race seen as critical for GOP efforts to maintain Senate control.
Collins, a second-term congressman and trucking business owner, secured 41% of the vote in the initial primary, while Dooley, an attorney and former college football coach, won 30%. The runoff follows a crowded primary where no candidate reached the 50% threshold. Rep. Buddy Carter was eliminated after finishing third.
The race highlights a divide within the GOP. Collins has aligned himself closely with Trump, while Dooley positions himself as a political outsider, though he pledges to work with the former president. Meanwhile, Alabama and Oklahoma are holding primaries for local and federal offices, though these races are receiving less national attention.
Ossoff, who won his Senate seat in 2021 by a narrow margin, remains the sole Democrat facing reelection in a state Trump won in 2024. The prolonged GOP primary has allowed Ossoff to build a financial advantage, raising questions about the party's strategy in a competitive state.