Trump hypes Mike Collins’ Senate campaign at Georgia rally

MARIETTA, Ga. — President Donald Trump came down to Georgia on Wednesday to help boost the campaign of Republican Rep. Mike Collins, a Senate candidate who he said was one of the most “highly respected” members of Congress.

Trump took several shots at Collins’ opponent, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, who he said looks like “Pee-wee Herman.”

“You have to vote for Mike because he is running against Pee-wee Herman,” Trump told a standing-room-only gymnasium crowd at Wheeler High School. “He will bring a lot of action back to your state. ... Vote for Mike.”

Republicans have an uphill climb in the nationally watched race, in part because Ossoff has already raised a massive $77 million this election cycle.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the state endured a messy and expensive Senate GOP primary, which eventually concluded with Collins as the party’s nominee but with comparatively little money in his campaign account after having raised $6.5 million to date.

Collins, a current member of Congress, was not at the event because of key votes in Washington.

Trump opted against endorsing early in the GOP primary, leaving a field that included a handful of well-funded candidates to attack one another as they jockeyed for Trump’s approval.

Trump eventually endorsed Collins just days before the June primary runoff, a last-minute nod as he already appeared poised to win the nomination.

After the brutal fight, Collins emerged with roughly $2 million cash on hand, compared with Ossoff’s $42 million, as of June 30.

Because of Ossoff’s incumbency advantage and huge financial lead, the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rates the seat “leans Democratic,” but it is very much seen as in play.

Democrats must defend Georgia as they try to play offense in other states and net four seats, which would flip the Senate majority. Democrats are targeting Maine, Texas, Iowa, Alaska, Ohio and other states while defending Democratic-held open seats in Michigan and New Hampshire.

Georgia also has a nationally watched governor’s race, with Trump-endorsed Republican businessman Rick Jackson facing Democratic former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

The overall focus of Trump’s event Wednesday was education, specifically the new “Trump Accounts,” which offer tax-advantaged investing for Americans under 18. The federal government will put $1,000 into accounts for babies born from 2025 to 2028.

The speakers leading up to Trump, including state and Trump administration officials, all praised Trump Accounts.

“For too long, many have felt the American dream is slipping into the past — not anymore,” U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are opening every possible pathway to pursue that dream again.”

Trump said the “money is pouring in” to Trump Accounts and then called Jackson on to the stage. Jackson announced that if he becomes governor, he will push Georgia lawmakers to match the federal government’s initial $1,000 investment contribution for Georgia families taking part.

Jackson then said that if lawmakers do not pass the proposal, he would pay for them himself.

Speakers also touched on the Iran war, which Trump initially said would be a short incursion when it began in February. Now, almost six months in, 18 service members have been killed, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put the cost of the war at $37.5 billion at a congressional hearing Tuesday.

The Defense Department is asking Congress for $67 billion in supplemental funding for the war effort.

The war has been unpopular, but Trump has maintained support with some of his most fervent MAGA supporters.

“He [Trump] is going to make sure Iran never has a nuclear weapon,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said, generating applause and cheers.

The military conflict in Iran is coming with large domestic ripple effects, including higher fuel costs. Those are complicating the midterm election for Republicans as the party tries to emphasize efforts Trump and Republicans have made to lower costs, an issue that most public polling finds is top of mind for most voters.

The price of crude oil recently increased to more than $95 per barrel, the highest in almost six weeks. The price of fuel stabilized following news of a ceasefire with Iran in April, but it has ticked up since bombing has resumed.

Much of the Republicans’ midterm economic message will center on passage of Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” his biggest legislative win during his second term in office. Republicans have focused on parts of the bill, including the Trump Accounts, ending things like taxes on tips of hospitality workers and expanding the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. Democratic opponents have noted that wealthy Americans will benefit most from passage of the bill.

“They doubled the child tax credit,” Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler said. “And ended taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security. All of that might seem like common sense, and it is, but it is also a fact every single congressional Democrat voted ‘no’ on letting you take home more of what you earn.”

Loeffler, a former senator from Georgia, specifically noted that both of Georgia’s Democratic senators, Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, voted against the bill. Warnock defeated Loeffler in a special election six years ago.

Trump also touted another one of his top issues: election integrity.

He has struggled to persuade Senate Republicans to pass his SAVE America Act, and senators have repeatedly warned that they do not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster and move the bill toward passage.

The proposal, which at times has been Trump’s near-singular legislative focus in recent months, would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, severely limit voting by mail and require states to purge voter rolls of noncitizens.

Trump used a primetime speech this week to push Senate Republicans to pass the proposal, but it did little to move the needle.

He has, however, maintained his pressure campaign.

“The Senate, what they are doing is just not right,” Trump said. “We are not going to take this any longer.”