Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has endorsed Rep. Mike Collins in the state’s Senate race against Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Kemp said Collins has 'delivered results as a businessman and commonsense leader in Washington' and argued that Ossoff’s 'far-left agenda doesn't represent Georgia values.' He said Collins will 'always put Georgia first.'
A Collins campaign press release said Kemp praised Collins for his 'sound leadership, good results, and pledge to put the state above all else.' Collins said he was 'honored' by the endorsement and said Georgia is 'stronger today' because Kemp has taken on tough fights.
The race is already getting sharper. Ossoff appeared with Democrat gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms at a rally in Athens, Georgia, and criticized Collins for attending the Republican National Committee Midterm Convention while the economy faces rising costs. Collins, meanwhile, toured a hospital with Dr. Mehmet Oz of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and focused on nearly $219 million in 'new federal funding for Georgia health care through a Trump-backed tax-and-spending law.'
The campaign also put out a graphic saying, 'Get paid to be an Ossoff Community Mobilizer.' It said people who join a 'one hour-long onboarding' would get $100.
Why it matters: Kemp’s backing gives Collins a major Republican boost in a race that could help decide Senate control. It also puts Georgia’s cost-of-living and government-spending fights right at the center of the campaign.
The bottom line: This is a test of whether Georgia voters want more of Ossoff’s agenda or a harder break with the left. For now, the GOP is betting that party unity and a pro-growth message can carry the state.