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Race for Georgia Senate primaries set

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Published  March 10, 2026 2:47pm EDT
Georgia Politics
FOX 5 Atlanta

The Brief

    • Incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff faces no Democratic challengers in his bid for re-election, clearing his path to the November general election.
    • A diverse field of five Republicans, including sitting congressmen and a retired Brigadier General, has qualified to compete for the chance to take on the Democratic incumbent.

ATLANTA - The field is officially set for the race to decide who will take on Sen. Jon Ossoff this fall.

Georgia Senate Race

What we know:

While Ossoff is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination, five Republicans are facing off for the chance to challenge him this November. Below is a list of the candidates by party, organized by first name, along with a brief description of their platforms.

Ossoff unopposed for nomination

What they're saying:

Jon Ossoff (DeKalb County) – Occupation: Current Senator; Website: electjon.com
Ossoff is running on his experience in the Senate, focusing on his promise to reform the system and hold the government, as well as legislators, accountable.

Republican Georgia Senate candidates

What they're saying:

Derek Dooley (Rabun County) – Occupation: Consultant and former football coach; Website: DOOLEYFORGEORGIA.COM
Dooley's campaign website calls him a "Georgia First Fighter" dedicated to supporting the America First agenda and bringing "common sense" to the government by representing the people rather than the political establishment.

Buddy Carter (Glynn County) – Occupation: Congressman and pharmacist; Website: BUDDYCARTER.COM
His campaign website currently functions primarily as a donation and contact portal and does not explicitly list specific legislative priorities beyond general conservative leadership.

John Coyne III (Fulton County) – Occupation: CEO
No website was provided to the Secretary of State, and FOX 5 could not find one.

Jonathan McColumn (Houston County) – Occupation: Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General; Website: JONATHANMCCOLUMN.COM
McColumn’s "Back to the Basics" platform focuses on constitutional conservatism, securing sovereign borders, fixing the national debt, and promoting market reforms to address inflation and home affordability, according to the website. 

Mike Collins Jr. (Butts County) – Occupation: Congressman; Website: MIKECOLLINSGA.COM
Characterizing himself as "Georgia's Conservative Workhorse," Collins prioritizes passing America First legislation, supporting the working class, and leveraging his business experience to deliver results in government.

Georgia primaries 2026

What's next:

The primaries are set for May 19, with runoffs scheduled for June 7 should nobody hit the majority threshold. 

To vote in the primary, you must be registered to vote by April 20.

The Source: Information in this article came from FOX 5's Sam Daniel reviewing Georgia's Secretary of State website and the campaign websites listed above.  

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