June 1, 2026
The candidates competing for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate clashed during a debate on Sunday, focusing their criticisms on the House ethics investigation and immigration policy.
Hosted by Georgia Public Broadcasting and organized by the Atlanta Press Club, the debate showcased U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who is preparing for the June 16 primary runoff against former football coach Derek Dooley. Collins emerged as the frontrunner in last month’s election, securing approximately 41% of the votes, while Dooley followed with 30%, beating U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter to qualify for the runoff.
As Collins and Dooley intensified their verbal sparring on stage, Sen. Jon Ossoff conducted a separate event with former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, highlighting Democratic unity ahead of the upcoming election.
During the debate, Collins seized the moment to question Dooley’s recent comments suggesting a willingness to allow immigrants without permanent legal status who contribute to the tax system to remain in the U.S. Collins accused Dooley of supporting “amnesty” but claimed he failed to make that position clear.
In response, Dooley criticized Congress for its inaction on immigration reform over the past four decades, labeling the existing system “broken.” He firmly stated his opposition to amnesty for undocumented immigrants, asserting, “There are hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who are wreaking havoc on our country. They are exploiting the government and stealing taxpayer money. We have to get them out of the country.”
Collins countered, asserting that Dooley’s previous statements aligned too closely with Ossoff’s immigration policies, emphasizing that voters need a candidate who represents their interests.
Dooley also targeted Collins over allegations of misusing government funds to pay an intern romantically linked to former staffer Brandon Phillips, suggesting that neither was genuinely fulfilling their professional responsibilities.
After parting ways with Phillips amidst controversy surrounding social media posts, Collins dismissed the ethics investigation, labeling it “sneaky and unauthorized” and referring to it as a “nothing burger.” When asked why he retained Phillips in his inner circle after the investigation began, Collins defended his team and declared that the matter had been appropriately addressed.
Despite the tensions and personal attacks, both Collins and Dooley expressed unwavering support for former President Donald Trump, endorsing a proposed $1 billion security fund. This fund would allocate $220 million for security enhancements at Trump’s White House ballroom and a separate $1.8 billion initiative to support individuals claiming to be targets of federal political investigations.
Meanwhile, Ossoff, campaigning with Bottoms in downtown Atlanta, largely sidestepped direct engagement with his Republican competitors. He made only brief mentions of the ethics investigation involving Collins and Phillips and allegations surrounding Dooley’s family’s financial gains from school contracts during the administration of Gov. Brian Kemp. However, he capitalized on the opportunity to jab at both Collins and Dooley’s political backgrounds.
Ossoff remarked, “We’re left with a congressman who’s only a congressman because his father was a congressman, and a coach who’s only a coach because his father was a coach.”
The Georgia Recorder, an independent nonprofit news organization, seeks to link public policy with the stories of the communities affected by it, providing a blend of in-depth reporting, blog posts, and timely updates on breaking news and progressive commentary. It operates as part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported through grants and a coalition of donors and readers.
