{"id":2602487,"date":"2026-05-14T05:29:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T09:29:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-fears-prolonged-georgia-senate-primary-is-blowing-key-pickup\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T05:33:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T09:33:02","slug":"gop-fears-prolonged-georgia-senate-primary-is-blowing-key-pickup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-fears-prolonged-georgia-senate-primary-is-blowing-key-pickup\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP fears prolonged Georgia Senate primary is blowing key pickup"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgop-fears-prolonged-georgia-senate-primary-is-blowing-key-pickup%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2602487&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Georgia\u2019s GOP Senate primary, with voting days away, has turned into a contentious blame game as Republicans worry their prolonged intraparty fight could hurt their chances of unseating Democratic sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026. Instead of rallying behind one strong challenger, the party appears headed toward a costly June runoff among several candidates-among them Rep. mike Collins, Rep. Buddy Carter, and former Derek Dooley-while polling suggests no one is near the 50% threshold to win outright.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans are increasingly frustrated that Ossoff has been able to build his profile and raise substantial money largely without an effective counter from the GOP, while GOP candidates have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-oversight-democrats-quietly-cancel-climate-hearing-into-big-oil-disinformation-amid-ukraine-crisis\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: Oversight ... Quietly Cancel Climate Hearing Into Big Oil \u2018Disinformation... Amid Ukraine Crisis\">spent months attacking<\/a> one another. Some GOP strategists point to past Georgia cycles where <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >bruising primaries left nominees financially depleted<\/a>, and they note that ossoff has amassed important cash reserves. The Senate Leadership Fund has already earmarked large TV ad spending to offset Ossoff\u2019s fundraising advantage.<\/p>\n<p>The campaigns dispute the idea that the primary has damaged their prospects, arguing the fight improved name recognition and sharpened their messages at the grassroots level. Democrats, meanwhile, see potential upside in the GOP\u2019s fractures, arguing Ossoff benefits from entering the general election from a position of strength and that intraparty attacks have forced Republicans to compete over alignment with Trump. They also suggest a runoff could further delay and deepen GOP infighting.<\/p>\n<p>Still, some Republican operatives insist Ossoff remains vulnerable electorally despite his money advantage, and they also argue Democrats face their own challenges heading into 2026.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>With <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/georgia\/\">Georgia<\/a>\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3782002\/georgia-republicans-navigate-three-primaries-at-once-in-high-stakes-senate-race\/\">Republican Senate primary<\/a> days from voting, the party\u2019s once-promising bid to unseat Democratic <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jon-ossoff\/\">Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA)<\/a> is descending into a bitter blame game.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans are openly question whether a drawn-out and expensive intraparty fight has weakened one of the GOP\u2019s top pickup opportunities of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\">2026.<\/a><\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4565332\/nebraska-house-democratic-primary-results\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Denise Powell wins Nebraska Democratic primary in race to fill Bacon\u2019s House seat<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4567440\/south-carolina-redistricting-special-session-house-map\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>South Carolina\u2019s McMaster to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/they-will-be-arrested-gov-abbott-threatens-democrats-who-left-texas\/\" title=\"\u2018They Will Be Arrested...: Gov. Abbott Threatens ... Who Left Texas\">call special session<\/a> to redraw House map<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4566906\/gallrein-lead-massie-latest-kentucky-primary-poll\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Gallrein takes the lead over Massie in latest Kentucky primary polling<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Instead of coalescing around a single heavyweight challenger, Republicans are barreling toward what many expect will be a costly June runoff between a fractured field that includes <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4407306\/mike-collins-house-ethics-committee-investigation\/\">Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA),<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3779675\/carter-touts-role-big-beautiful-bill-high-stakes-senate-race\/\">Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA)<\/a>, and former Tennessee football coach <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3479203\/derek-dooley-voting-record-possible-gop-senate-run\/\">Derek Dooley<\/a>. Polling <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/senate\/republican-primary\/2026\/georgia\">has consistently shown<\/a> Collins leading the field, though no <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/la-mayor-hopeful-nithya-raman-struggles-under-spencer-pratt-onslaught\/\" title=\"LA mayor hopeful Nithya Raman struggles under Spencer Pratt onslaught\">candidate appears close<\/a> to the 50% threshold needed to avoid a second round of voting. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The dynamic has fueled growing anxiety among Republicans who worry Ossoff has spent months raising money, building his profile, and consolidating support while GOP candidates tear each other apart.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrustration is not the word that describes my feelings. I\u2019m pissed,\u201d said Ryan Mahoney, a longtime Georgia Republican strategist who previously worked for GOP senators in the state. \u201cJon Ossoff raising an incredible sum of money while he has no incoming. No one is hitting him. No one is undermining his fundraising ability.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mahoney argued Republicans are repeating a pattern that has plagued the party in past Georgia cycles, pointing to bruising primaries in both the 2018 governor\u2019s race and the 2020 Senate contests that left nominees financially depleted entering the general election.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhoever the nominee is, they\u2019re already coming out of a bloody primary,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re going to be facing down a guy that probably has $50 million cash on hand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ossoff has shattered Georgia fundraising records this cycle, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4535271\/which-party-is-ahead-midterm-elections-fundraising-game\/\">raising <\/a>more than $14 million during the first quarter and entering the spring with roughly $31 million in the bank.<\/p>\n<p>The Senate Leadership Fund, the GOP\u2019s top Senate super PAC, has already reserved $44 million in television advertising to help counter Ossoff\u2019s financial advantage. GOP operatives also anticipate a flood of national money and outside group spending once the party settles on a nominee, arguing Republicans will quickly unify around the eventual challenger to Ossoff.<\/p>\n<p>Still, many Republicans privately say the party squandered months failing to consolidate behind a single candidate after Gov. Brian Kemp declined to run. <\/p>\n<p>National Republicans <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3392252\/brian-kemp-senate-jon-ossoff-georgia-2026-midterm-elections\/\">spent much of last year<\/a> trying to recruit Kemp into the race, viewing the term-limited governor as the GOP\u2019s strongest possible challenger to Ossoff. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3401293\/brian-kemp-bows-out-2026-georgia-senate-race-ossoff\/\">When Kemp declined<\/a>, he backed Dooley, the son of longtime University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley. Kemp\u2019s endorsement of Dooley, a longtime family friend with no elected experience, failed to clear the field.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s not a good reason why this thing dragged out for a year only to end up right where it was a year ago,\u201d a Georgia Republican strategist said on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly about the race. \u201cWhat did we gain by doing that?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The strategist said frustration extends beyond the candidates themselves, with many Republicans privately faulting multiple power centers inside the party.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the governor deserves some of the blame. Where has the White House been? What is the NRSC not doing?\u201d the strategist said. \u201cThere\u2019s not a good reason why this thing has dragged out for a year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3895433\/georgia-messy-gop-senate-primary-needs-trump-endorsement\/\">absence of a Trump endorsement <\/a>has also loomed over the race. All three candidates have aggressively courted the president. But Trump has thus far declined to intervene despite mounting expectations that the contest is headed toward a runoff. The White House declined to comment on Trump\u2019s views of the primary contest or whether he has been in contact with any of the three candidates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf he felt like he could put his finger on the scale and get someone over 50%, it would certainly benefit their chances,\u201d said a former Republican staffer who previously served in senior Capitol Hill roles and now lives in Georgia. \u201cIt speaks volumes on its own.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The prolonged primary is unfolding as national Republicans increasingly turn their attention toward other battlegrounds, including Michigan, where Democrats are navigating a contentious Senate primary of their own. Some Republicans fear Georgia risks slipping down the list of the GOP\u2019s top pickup opportunities after once being viewed as perhaps the party\u2019s best chance to flip a Democratic-held Senate seat.<\/p>\n<p>The campaigns themselves reject the idea that the primary has damaged chances of beating Ossoff. <\/p>\n<p>A Collins campaign spokesperson argued that the high spending proved he was the candidate with a message that could break through negative ads, something that will likely be needed in the general election given Ossoff\u2019s war chest. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been amazing to watch the governor spend $3 million to boost Derek Dooley instead of protecting the Supreme Court, and Squeaker spend $7 million to boost himself, yet neither can compete with what Georgia Republicans actually want: an authentic trucker who delivers results,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n<p>Chris Crawford, a spokesperson for Carter, said the contentious primary has forced candidates to fight for every single vote in every single part of the state, increasing name recognition and grassroots support. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cPresident Trump calls Buddy Carter a \u2018MAGA warrior\u2019 and after covering every inch of Georgia, voters know why,\u201d Crawford said. \u201cHe has out worked the field, and people are turning out early and voting for Buddy Carter to be their next U.S. senator. We\u2019re in a great spot, peaking at the right time. Buddy is primed and ready to send Jon Ossoff packing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Connor Whitney, a spokesperson for Dooley, said the primary brought media attention to every corner of the state and raised awareness of the contest. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Dooley campaign is firing on all cylinders this last week of the GOP primary,\u201d Whitney said. \u201cFrom campaigning in every corner of the state with Governor Kemp, to doing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-victims-of-usa-olympic-team-doctor-larry-nassar-to-be-be-paid-380-million-in-settlement\/\" title=\"...ort: Victims Of USA Olympic Team Doctor Larry Nassar To Be Be Paid 0 Million In Settlement\">countless media interviews<\/a>, and rising in the polls, momentum is on our side. We look forward to May 19th.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/quantusinsights.org\/f\/quantus-insights-georgia-gop-primaries-enter-the-final-stretch\">A recent Quantus Insights poll <\/a>conducted April 28 through May 2 showed Dooley climbing to 23%, his strongest showing yet and a potential sign that the Kemp-backed candidate is gaining traction heading into the final stretch of the race.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats, for their part, see the bruising GOP primary as creating an opportunity for Ossoff to enter the general election from a position of strength. On a press call this week, Georgia Democrats highlighted a string of recent special election overperformances, stronger-than-expected Democratic participation in early voting, and Ossoff\u2019s massive fundraising advantage as signs that the party\u2019s coalition remains energized despite Georgia backing Trump in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic officials also argued that months of Republican infighting have pushed the GOP field into an increasingly aggressive competition over who can align themselves most closely with Trump and the national party\u2019s right flank. At the same time, Democrats say Ossoff has spent the primary period focused on expanding his statewide political operation and defining the Republican contenders early on issues including healthcare, insurance costs, and dysfunction in Washington.<\/p>\n<p>Within Democratic circles, some also believe a runoff would further complicate Republicans\u2019 efforts to unify behind a nominee by prolonging the intraparty attacks, forcing additional spending, and keeping the eventual candidate locked in a divisive contest well into the summer.<\/p>\n<p>Nick Puglia, a regional press secretary for the NRSC, argued Ossoff remains highly vulnerable despite his fundraising advantage. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cJon Ossoff is the most vulnerable incumbent on the map and he\u2019s going to need all the help he can get,\u201d Puglia said. \u201cOut of state liberals are bankrolling his campaign for that exact reason, but no amount of money can change his record of voting against Georgians and with the radical left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Republican National Committee also rejected the idea that the GOP is entering the general election weakened, arguing Democrats face their own political and financial problems heading into 2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGeorgia Republicans are running in lockstep with President Trump and his winning agenda, while Democrats are stuck defending a toxic and historically unpopular record,\u201d RNC spokeswoman Emma Hall said. \u201cRepublicans have the message, the momentum, and the resources to defy history in November, and Democrats are too broke and divided to do anything about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Mahoney warned Republicans may already be running behind after spending months attacking one another instead of defining Ossoff before the general election.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3782002\/georgia-republicans-navigate-three-primaries-at-once-in-high-stakes-senate-race\/\"><strong>GEORGIA REPUBLICANS NAVIGATE THREE PRIMARIES AT ONCE IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE RACE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one is hitting him. No one is undermining his fundraising ability. No one is undermining anything he says or does,\u201d Mahoney said. \u201cHe\u2019s on late night TV. He\u2019s doing the whole circuit, and no one is pushing back on him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd so it\u2019s going to be very hard in kind of a very abridged election cycle to take him on and take him out,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s frustrating. It frankly makes me incredibly pissed off.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Georgia GOP primary nears vote amid bitter blame game<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2602488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-collage-1hcak1p41-1778697955039-e1778708386772.jpg?1778683595&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[34541,47333,32773,40635],"class_list":["post-2602487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-election-strategy","tag-georgia-senate-race","tag-gop-primary","tag-political-polling"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/image-collage-1hcak1p41-1778697955039-e1778708386772.jpg?1778683595&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602487","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2602487"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602487\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2602491,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602487\/revisions\/2602491"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2602488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2602487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2602487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2602487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}