Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) isn’t receiving the warmest welcoming embrace from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) after he announced he would be running for the Georgia Senate seat.
Collins made his entrance into the race known early Wednesday, as he wrote in a statement on Twitter, “For months, I have given serious deliberation to the role I should serve that would best benefit [Georgia], the country and [Donald Trump]. Today, I have officially launched my campaign for Senate to do just that,” as IJR reported.
The Republican lawmaker will then have a primary challenge against Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) — who was nominated by Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) after Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) stepped down due to health issues — which has the NRSC not so happy.
“The shortsightedness in this decision is stunning,” NRSC Executive Director Kevin McLaughlin wrote in a statement, adding, “Doug Collins’ selfishness will hurt [Sen.] David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, and President Trump. Not to mention the people of Georgia who stand to bear the burden of it for years to come.”
McLaughlin continued, “All he has done is put two senate seats, multiple house seats, and Georgia’s 16 electoral votes in play.”
“The NRSC stands firmly behind Sen. Kelly Loeffler and urges anyone who wants to re-elect President Trump, hold the GOP senate majority, and stop socialism to do the same.”
Collins — an ally of President Donald Trump — also received sparked reaction on his announcement from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), as a spokesperson said in a statement, “At the start of this election cycle, Republicans believed they could take this state for granted, but not anymore.”
The DSCC spokesperson added that the primary challenge will “force unelected mega-donor Senator Loeffler and Trump ally Congressman Collins into a race to the right that reveals just how out-of-touch both are with Georgia voters.”
Collins’ state will hold a special jungle primary election in November — where two top contenders will face-off regardless of their party. However, the Georgia statehouse is trying to change the law to take away the jungle primary in hopes of having a traditional primary in May.
