A former staffer for Republican Senate candidate Mike Collins posted images depicting Ku Klux Klan robes and Nazi symbolism, along with racist language, according to reporting by The Washington Post. Preston Parra, who worked in Collins’s congressional office for two months in 2024 and later as a contractor for his leadership PAC, shared the content online. Parra also used the N-word and posted nearly nude photos, the report states.
Collins’s campaign spokesman Meyer Siegfried stated that Parra has "no affiliation with Mike Collins’ office or campaign" and called the posts "vile." "The posts are vile, completely unhinged, and Mike Collins unequivocally condemns them," Siegfried said. Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff seized on the reports, stating in a campaign statement: "Swastikas and the Klan. Another week, another scandal for the bigot Congressman Mike Collins and his collapsing Senate campaign."
Collins has previously distanced himself from other controversial figures tied to his campaign. Last month, reports surfaced that his son-in-law, who has been in close proximity to the Georgia Senate campaign, shared posts promoting white supremacy and antisemitism. Collins stated his son-in-law does not have a role in the campaign and condemned the remarks.
Ossoff’s campaign has also faced scrutiny over associations with progressive figures. Collins highlighted Ossoff’s ties to Hasan Piker, a streamer and commentator, and Abdul el Sayed, a Michigan Senate candidate, as examples of what he described as rising antisemitism and hate among younger Americans.
The Georgia Senate race has become increasingly contentious, with both candidates trading accusations over controversial associates. Ossoff, a Democrat, has positioned himself as a vocal critic of corruption in political circles, a theme he has emphasized in recent campaign speeches. His oratory style has drawn attention from liberal voters, fueling speculation about a potential future presidential bid despite running in a competitive state.
Collins, a Republican, has framed Ossoff’s alliances as indicative of broader issues within the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, Ossoff’s campaign has sought to contrast his own record with Collins’s controversies, focusing on policy and governance in a state where Trump won in 2024.
The latest developments underscore the charged atmosphere surrounding the race, with both campaigns leveraging controversies to rally their bases ahead of the election.