On June 16, 2026, Georgia held primary runoffs to pick the final Republican nominees for U.S. Senate and governor. Mike Collins won the Senate race with President Trump's support. But on the same ballot, businessman Rick Jackson won the governor's race — against Trump's preferred candidate. That mixed result tells you something about the power, and limits, of Trump's influence in Republican politics.

The Senate Race: Trump's Pick Won

Collins is a sitting congressman. He had Trump's endorsement going into the runoff. In May, no Republican candidate won enough votes to win outright, so Georgia law required a runoff between the top two finishers. Dooley, a former football coach, was the other finalist. He was backed by Gov. Brian Kemp, who leads a separate Republican faction in Georgia.

Collins beat Dooley. That victory sets up a general election matchup against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. Republicans see Georgia as a winnable state and have targeted Ossoff's seat as a top priority.

The Governor's Race: Money Beat the Presidential Endorsement

The governor's race went differently. Rick Jackson spent more than $100 million of his own money in the runoff alone, according to Politico. That is far more than most candidates ever spend. Burt Jones, the other finalist, had Trump's backing and statewide name recognition, per Ballotpedia.

Jones had advantages that should have helped: Trump's endorsement, existing relationships with major donors, and people knowing his name across Georgia. Jackson's answer was simple: spend so much money on television ads and on-the-ground campaign work that voters heard his message everywhere.

What These Two Results Say About Republicans Today

Georgia Republicans picked Collins (Trump's choice for Senate) and Jackson (who ran against Trump's choice for governor). The two outcomes pull in different directions.

One way to look at it: Trump's endorsement is powerful when a candidate already agrees with him and has Republican credentials. Collins fit that mold. Another way to look at it: if you have enough money, you can drown out even the president's endorsement. Jackson proved that point.

For Ossoff's campaign, Collins is a known opponent: a sitting congressman with a voting record to run against in a state where Democrats have gained ground in recent years. Ossoff will likely highlight Collins's connection to Trump and try to turn it into a weakness.

For Jackson, the real test comes in the general election. He spent enormous sums to win a primary where only Republicans can vote. General elections are larger and more diverse. Jackson will need to convince different kinds of voters, not just Republican voters. And after spending $100 million in the primary, the question is simple: how much money does he have left?

Georgia's runoff system was meant to ensure the winner has majority support, not just a plurality. What happened on June 16 was two Republican nominees who arrived by completely different routes — one with party support, one with personal wealth — entering a general election in a state both parties will fight hard to win.