Georgia Republicans Choose Nominee to Challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff

Georgia Republicans vote Tuesday in a primary to choose a nominee to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. The three candidates are Rep. Mike Collins, Rep. Buddy Carter, and Derek Dooley, a lawyer and former college football coach. Collins, 58, represents a district east of Atlanta and owns a trucking company.

He sponsored the Lakin Riley Act, which requires immigrants accused of certain crimes to be held without bond.

Collins calls himself a warrior for President Donald Trump and his movement. He said he has delivered for Georgia through bipartisan legislation without compromising conservative values. Dooley, 57, is backed by outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp. Kemp said a political outsider is needed to win the seat back and pointed to other first-term Republican senators who defeated Democratic incumbents.

Dooley said in a recent interview that electability is everything because policy differences among the candidates are minimal. In television ads he tells voters he will work with President Trump but for them.

Some supporters worry Collins may struggle to attract middle-of-the-road voters. Local party committee chairman Gary Waldrep asked Collins at a campaign stop how he would win over those voters. Waldrep said he watches the polls and knows the race will be close.

Republicans note that Ossoff and Sen. Raphael Warnock have won three Senate contests in Georgia in the last six years. Trump has not endorsed a candidate. The lack of an endorsement raises the chance of a June 16 runoff that would delay the general-election campaign.

Carter, 68, represents a Savannah-based district and has reduced advertising in recent weeks. He has questioned Collins about a House ethics investigation into whether Collins hired the girlfriend of a former aide for work she allegedly did not perform.

Collins responded that he can tell from Carter's voice that the polling is going his way. Dooley said both Collins and Carter represent the Washington system he wants to change. Kemp rebuffed encouragement from Senate Republican leaders to run himself and instead recruited Dooley, a childhood family friend and son of legendary coach Vince Dooley.