Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp campaigns with Derek Dooley in metro Atlanta; Ossoff rallies in Augusta
Georgia's closely watched U.S. Senate race is heating up as candidates from both parties fan out across the state, make their case to voters and report early fundraising numbers.
Republican candidate Derek Dooley is continuing his Georgia First Tour on Monday with stops in Barrow, Gwinnett, Forsyth, and Cherokee counties. He'll also be appearing alongside Gov. Brian Kemp and first lady Marty Kemp at a meet-and-greet in Roswell. The tour has taken Dooley and the governor through more than a dozen counties as he campaigns for the GOP nomination.
Dooley, a former college football coach, is part of a crowded Republican primary field aiming to challenge Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff in November. Ossoff, who was first elected in 2021, is seeking a second term in what is expected to be a competitive race in a key battleground state.
Another Republican candidate, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, recently reported raising more than $1 million in the first quarter of 2026. His campaign said the total puts him ahead of several competitors in the race and leaves him with more than $2 million on hand as early voting approaches.
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, John Coyne, and Jonathan McColumn are also competing for the party's chance to take on Ossoff in the general election.
Meanwhile, Ossoff held a campaign rally in Augusta over the weekend, drawing a crowd of more than 1,000 supporters. During the event, he focused on issues such as health care, the economy and voting rights, according to his campaign. In early April, his team announced it had raised over $14 million in the first quarter of 2026 to his campaign account and over $31 million in the bank.
The 2026 Senate race in Georgia is expected to draw national attention, with Republicans looking to flip the seat and Democrats aiming to hold it as part of the broader fight for control of the Senate.
Primary elections are set for May, with a potential runoff in June if no candidate secures a majority.
