Republican Runoff in Georgia: Collins and Dooley Compete

Republican Representative Mike Collins of Georgia is heading to a runoff election against former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley. This follows a primary election where no candidate secured 50 percent of the vote, necessitating a further contest to decide the GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate.

A recent survey conducted by JMC Analytics and Polling shows Collins leading Dooley by double digits. When respondents were asked about their candidate preference if the election were held today, 50 percent supported Collins, while 36 percent favored Dooley, with 15 percent remaining undecided.

The victor between Collins and Dooley will compete against Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in November, making it a significant battle in Georgia’s senatorial race. Newsweek reached out to both Dooley and Collins’ campaigns for comment via email.

Key Poll Insights

According to the JMC Analytics and Polling survey, which queried 600 respondents on May 26 and May 27, the margin of error stands at 4 percent. Among those undecided in the runoff, 39 percent leaned towards Collins, 27 percent towards Dooley, and 34 percent remained unsure. In a forced ballot scenario, Collins secured 55 percent, Dooley 39 percent, and 7 percent were undecided.

The poll also indicated that Collins has a 61 percent favorability rating, with 18 percent unfavorable, while 21 percent hold no opinion, and 1 percent are unfamiliar with him. Dooley has a 50 percent favorability rating, 19 percent unfavorable, 28 percent have no opinion, and 2 percent have not heard of him.

In political endorsements, Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp is backing Dooley after opting not to run himself. President Donald Trump has not endorsed any candidate in this race.

Additional Polling Data

In a quick poll by Quantus Insights after the primary, Collins garnered 53.5 percent support compared to Dooley’s 37.2 percent. Conducted on May 20, this poll involved 782 likely Republican Georgia primary voters, with results adjusted for a likely runoff electorate and a margin of error at 3.9 percent.

Another poll from InsiderAdvantage conducted on May 20 and 21 among 800 likely voters showed Collins with 46 percent support, Dooley with 41 percent, and 13 percent undecided. This poll’s margin of error is 3.46 percent.

Pollster Matt Towery commented on the expected low voter turnout for the runoff, emphasizing the importance for candidates to focus on committed Republican voters. He noted that while Burt Jones benefits from Trump’s endorsement in his race, Collins might have an advantage due to his extensive involvement in Georgia GOP activities. However, Governor Kemp’s political backing and endorsement of Dooley could influence the outcome.