Georgia Republicans Head Toward Senate Primary Runoff With Ossoff

Kemp declined to run and instead backed Dooley, the son of longtime University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley. Kemp’s endorsement did not clear the field. A Georgia Republican strategist speaking on the condition of anonymity said there was no clear benefit to the extended timeline.

“There’s not a good reason why this thing dragged out for a year only to end up right where it was a year ago,” the strategist said. ” The strategist added that frustration extends to multiple parts of the party. “I think the governor deserves some of the blame.

Where has the White House been? The White House declined to comment on his views of the primary or any contacts with the candidates.

A former Republican staffer now living in Georgia said an endorsement could have helped a candidate clear 50 percent. Campaign spokespeople rejected the idea that the primary has harmed their general-election prospects. A Collins campaign spokesperson highlighted the candidate’s spending and support.

Chris Crawford, a spokesperson for Carter, said the contest has increased name recognition and grassroots backing. Connor Whitney, a spokesperson for Dooley, said the campaign has gained momentum and media attention across the state. A recent Quantus Insights poll conducted April 28 through May 2 showed Dooley at 23 percent, his highest level yet.

Republicans are also monitoring other battleground states, including Michigan, where Democrats face their own competitive Senate primary. Some in the party have expressed concern that Georgia could fall in priority among pickup targets. Georgia Democrats said this week that Ossoff enters the general-election period in a strong position after focusing on healthcare, insurance costs and other issues while Republicans competed in the primary.