Donald Trump’s endorsement record hit a speed bump in one of the most closely watched primary nights of 2026. The president’s picks delivered mixed results across Georgia’s Republican runoffs, raising fresh questions about endorsement power heading into November.
Donald Trump faces both wins and losses in Georgia elections
According to CNN, Trump scored a key victory in Georgia’s Republican Senate primary runoff on Tuesday. His endorsed candidate, Rep. Mike Collins, defeated Gov. Brian Kemp’s pick, former football coach Derek Dooley. Collins secured 55.5% of the vote against Dooley’s 44.5%. However, Trump’s endorsed gubernatorial candidate, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, lost the same night.
Self-funding businessman Rick Jackson defeated Jones with 52.6% of the vote in the governor’s race. Jackson spent more than $91 million on television advertising this year. He overcame Jones despite both Trump and Kemp endorsing the lieutenant governor. Jackson’s stronger support from urban and suburban counties powered his victory over Jones.
Trump used his Collins endorsement to settle an old score with Kemp. He criticized Dooley during a Monday telephone rally for acknowledging that Trump lost Georgia in 2020. “That’s not exactly the right thing to say, and it’s certainly not what we all stand for with Make America Great Again,” Trump said.
Collins now faces Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who holds $32 million in campaign funds. Ossoff wasted little time attacking Collins on Tuesday night. He called Collins “a notorious bigot, antisemite and extremist.” Collins responded at his watch party with a clear message for supporters. “It’s to put a Republican in that seat and get rid of that Jon Ossoff in November,” Collins said.
Jones becomes the third Trump-endorsed statewide candidate to lose a primary this year. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller lost his primary in March as well. Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., praised Jackson as “a good man” on social media Monday. Jackson will face Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor, in November’s general election.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
