2 Georgia Republicans seeking to beat Democratic US Sen. Jon Ossoff each raise nearly $2 million

Audio By Carbonatix

ATLANTA (AP) — Two Georgia Republicans seeking to unseat Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff in 2026 each said they raised nearly $2 million in the weeks after entering the race this summer.

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins on Monday said he raised $1.9 million through Sept. 30, while former football coach Derek Dooley said he raised $1.85 million.

Collins kicked in another $1 million from his U.S. House campaign account and said he had $2.4 million in cash on hand. Dooley said he has $1.7 million in cash on hand.

Ossoff, who raised more than $10 million in from April through June, hasn't yet reported numbers for the three months ended Sept. 30.

The third major Republican in the race, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, also hasn't reported a total yet. Carter raised $1 million in contributions in the second quarter and lent his campaign an additional $2 million.

The money sprint is also part of the audition by Republican candidates for President Donald Trump’s favor. Trump thus far has held back on endorsing a candidate. Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is backing Dooley, while Collins has rung up dozens of endorsements from other GOP officials.

Any Republican will have to raise stacks of cash to keep up with Ossoff in a race that's ultimately likely to cost hundreds of millions. The first-term officeholder is the only Democrat seeking reelection to the Senate from a state that Trump won, making him a top GOP target.

Collins said that his fundraising haul shows he “will not be outworked” and “will not be outhustled.”

Dooley, making his first bid for public office, has faced questions about his viability, especially given his scant history in politics. He didn’t vote in the 2016 and 2020 elections when Trump was a candidate. Still coaching at the time, Dooley has said he was too busy and distracted to vote. The fundraising haul, powered in part by Kemp's support, could put some of that to rest.

“This incredible early support for our campaign proves that hardworking Georgians want a political outsider with common-sense leadership representing them in the U.S. Senate,” Dooley said in a statement.