Rep. Mike Collins at a campaign rally in Butts County on Aug. 19, 2025. (FOX 5)
ATLANTA - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Mike Collins is facing scrutiny after a report revealed that two of his campaign organizers held leadership roles in a white nationalist group founded by a former Ku Klux Klan leader.
Georgia Senate campaign ties
What we know:
Two leaders in the campaign for Rep. Mike Collins previously held leadership positions in American Patriots USA, according to reporting by The Daily Beast. Joshua Mote served as vice president of the group, while Michael Boggus served as its state director.
The Southern Poverty Law Center classifies American Patriots USA as a white nationalist hate group. The organization was founded by Chester Doles, a former Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi National Alliance leader.
Collins campaign responds
The other side:
Meyer Siegfried, a spokesman for Mike Collins wrote:
"The past associations of these individuals was not known to the campaign, and these views do not represent Mike Collins or the more than 800 Convoy Captains around the state that want leaders who will deliver a prosperous, safer, and more affordable Georgia."
Debate prep controversy
Why you should care:
The revelations surfaced on Wednesday, just one day before a debate between Collins and Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff. Ossoff released a statement criticizing Collins over the campaign appointments.
"Another week, another scandal for Mike Collins, who is surrounded at work, at home, and now at his campaign by white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and Klan associates," Ossoff said.
Ossoff campaign manager Ellen Foster stated that Ossoff will contrast his record with Collins' platform during the broadcast debate.
Unanswered campaign questions
What we don't know:
It remains unclear whether Collins was aware of the past involvement of Mote and Boggus when appointing them as county convoy captains.
It is unclear if Collins will back out of a planned debate with Jon Ossoff on Thursday.
History of far-right group
The backstory:
Doles has publicly touted a history with the Ku Klux Klan and served jail time after a 1993 conviction for beating a Black man in Maryland.
He was also present at the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville.
Collins previously denounced American Patriots USA as a hate organization in 2019 after Doles listed him as an invited speaker for a rally.
At the time, Collins stated that white supremacy and white nationalism have no place in the country.
Campaign organizer responses
What they're saying:
Mote told reporters that he served as a Hall County convoy captain starting in February but stepped away in April following the death of his 2-year-old son.
He denied being a racist and stated he left the group immediately upon learning Doles was not a reformed Christian.
"When we learned who [Doles] was, and that he was not the reformed Christian he claimed to be, we left immediately," Mote said.
Boggus, who represented Banks County, did not respond to questions from reporters but previously told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his opinion of Doles shifted after a private conversation.
"He’s proven to me that he’s walked away from that lifestyle. Because I cannot stand the Klan," Boggus said.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from reporting published by The Daily Beast reporter Laura Esposito, historical reporting from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, official statements released by Jon Ossoff's U.S. Senate campaign, and statements provided by Joshua Mote. Meyer Siegfried, a spokesman for Mike Collins, also offered a statement. Outreach was also conducted by FOX 5 Atlanta to both campaigns. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.