Rep. Doug Collins expected to run for Senate, setting up GOP clash

Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) is planning to announce a run for the Senate, based on multiple sources, difficult appointed GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler and complicating Republicans’ path to holding onto a battleground Senate seat this yr.

Loeffler and Collins will both be operating to finish the term of former Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, who resigned at the end of final yr as a result of well being considerations. The election is an all-party contest in November, with the top-two challengers dealing with off in a January runoff if no candidate tops 50 % of the vote.

The announcement is predicted to return soon. Collins' workplace declined to remark.

Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) appointed Loeffler to the seat last yr after a months-long software process where lots of of candidates — together with Collins — submitted their names for consideration.

Collins, who was President Donald Trump’s most popular decide for the appointment, stated this month he was nonetheless contemplating operating for the seat in 2020. Collins had reached out to the White House to take their temperature a few potential bid, in accordance with one GOP official.

Collins has the good thing about being one among Trump’s staunchest allies on Capitol Hill. As the highest Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Collins played a leading position defending Trump from impeachment within the Home. Collins was also tapped by Trump to serve as an impeachment surrogate through the Senate trial, permitting him to continue mounting a vigorous — and public — protection of the president.

Trump and his allies had pressed Kemp to appoint Collins, who they felt can be a reliable ally in the Senate. A handful of right-of-center teams had also come out towards Loeffler, expressing concern that she lacked conservative credentials. And throughout a meeting on the White House late last yr, Trump noted that Loeffler was not an unique backer of his 2016 campaign and raised considerations that she has by no means held elected workplace before.

Kemp’s allies, nevertheless, praised the number of Loeffler, hoping that she might help the celebration compete in suburban areas that have increasingly moved away from Republicans since Trump’s election. Senate Republicans, together with Majority Chief Mitch McConnell, have rallied round their new colleague and pledged to again her in November.

And in an obvious bid to chase away any Republican challengers and reveal her marketing campaign’s power, Loeffler, a wealthy finance government, pledged to pour $20 million of her personal cash into the race. Her marketing campaign has already blanketed the Georgia airwaves with a TV advert where she criticizes impeachment and portrays herself as an ally to Trump.

Since coming to the Senate, Loeffler has been maneuvering to win over skeptics and solidify her conservative bona fides. She has signed her identify to several anti-abortion bills in addition to a resolution dismissing the impeachment fees. And on Monday, she fired off a shot at one in every of her GOP colleagues who has been an outspoken Trump critic, bashing Sen. Mitt Romney by way of Trump’s most popular mode of communication: Twitter.

Romney “needs to appease the left by calling witnesses who will slander the @realDonaldTrump during their 15 minutes of fame,” she tweeted.

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.

Src: Rep. Doug Collins expected to run for Senate, setting up GOP clash
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