Georgia
As Texas braces for messy Senate runoff, Georgia Republicans fear similar fate unless Trump endorses
ATLANTA — Georgia Republicans are getting antsy. As U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff dominates the nation in fundraising and makes his case to voters, three Republicans who want his spot are still competing among themselves for their party’s nomination.
This week’s election frenzy in Texas didn’t help. After President Donald Trump declined to help clear the field with an endorsement, Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton are primed for a bitter and expensive runoff that could sap resources needed in more competitive states.
Trump has since promised to choose between the two of them, but he hasn’t said when he’ll make an announcement or whom he’ll support. And there’s no sign that the president is ready to get involved in Georgia’s primary on May 19, meaning Republicans there could be on course for a similar predicament.
“I’d like to have as many days as I can to focus the public’s attention on the choice between our nominee and Sen. Ossoff,” said state party chair Josh McKoon. “Assuming that President Trump does not weigh in, it seems like it is more likely than not that we will have a runoff.”
Each of Georgia’s three main Republican contenders — Rep. Mike Collins, Rep. Buddy Carter and former football coach Derek Dooley — has positioned himself as the best person to help Trump in Washington. Trump could almost certainly anoint a winner if he wanted to use his influence.
“It is the gold standard of the party,” said Faith & Freedom Coalition chairman Ralph Reed. “It’s the strongest endorsement I’ve ever seen in my career.”
Ossoff sees political advantage in the competition for Trump’s support.
Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., speaks before Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, Sept. 24, 2024, at the Johnny Mercer Theatre Civic Center, in Savannah, Ga. Credit: AP/Evan Vucci
“My opponents have already made clear they will be Donald Trump’s puppets,” Ossoff said in a speech this week at Georgia’s capitol.
The non-endorsement looms over race
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, warned in an interview with The Washington Examiner last month that the wide primary field could end in a general election loss in Georgia.
“We need to get it down to one candidate as soon as possible,” Scott said. “And if we are able to do so, we have a chance to be successful there. But as long as we have three candidates, it’s going to be tougher for us.”
Republican strategist and Collins ally Stephen Lawson warned that Ossoff “continues every day going unscathed.”
Derek Dooley, a Republican candidate for Senate in Georgia, attends an Atlanta Young Republicans campaign event, Feb. 12, 2026, in Atlanta. Credit: AP/Alyssa Pointer
“I do think there has to be some sense of urgency on settling on a candidate and clearing the field sooner rather than later,” he said.
Collins has a long list of endorsements in the state, and he’s backed by the Club for Growth, a nationally influential conservative advocacy group. He describes himself as the “America First MAGA candidate.”
However, he also facing an ethics complaint from a congressional watchdog accusing his policy adviser and former chief of staff of improperly hiring his girlfriend as an intern even though she didn’t complete assigned work. Collins has called the complaint “bogus.”
Carter said in an interview this week that “I’m the one without any baggage.”
A political fixture in southeast Georgia, Carter says he’s a “MAGA warrior.” He has called for expanded immigration enforcement in the state despite criticisms of aggressive tactics elsewhere.
As Republicans compete with each other, Ossoff has been boosting his cash advantage. The senator has over $25.5 million on hand. Meanwhile, Collins has $2.3 million, Dooley has $2.1 million, and Carter has $4.2 million, including many of his own dollars.
However, McKoon said he’s confident Republican donors will coalesce around a winner and help them catch up.
Trump ‘wants to win’
Trump has a mixed track record on endorsements, particularly in Georgia. In 2021, David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler lost to Ossoff and Sen. Raphael Warnock. In 2022, Warnock beat football star Herschel Walker.
Carter noted that Republicans have a narrow majority in the House, including Collins and himself, and guessed that Trump doesn’t want to jeopardize that.
“The president really is probably going to sit this one out,” Carter said.
Collins flattered Trump’s endorsement record, saying he has “always had the impeccable ability to put his name on someone at the right time to get the most bang for his buck.”
Candidates aren’t just trying to convince voters they align with Trump — they’re also trying to convince the president that they would come out on top in November. That’s what matters most to Trump, Reed said.
“The only thing that drives Trump more than finding candidates that are loyal both philosophically and personally is identifying and getting behind candidates that can win,” Reed said. “He wants to win.”
Georgia
Four-star cornerback decommits from Georgia
Georgia’s 2027 recruiting class has taken a hit, with four-star cornerback Jerry Outhouse decommitting from the Bulldogs on Wednesday, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett.
Outhouse is one of the top players in the country, but was not a member of Georgia’s recruiting class for long. The Fort Worth, Texas, product committed to them on March 6, and less than two months later, is back on the market.
The Bulldogs officially entered his recruitment on May 7, 2025, when they extended him a scholarship offer. He visited Athens multiple times after that before ultimately committing. However, he never shut down his recruitment and is set to take official visits this summer to see the UCLA Bruins, Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Arizona State Sun Devils.
He is ranked as the No. 109 overall player and No. 15 cornerback in the Rivals industry ranking. He is also the No. 14 player from Texas. He is the third player to decommit from Kirby Smart’s program in the 2027 recruiting cycle, joining three-star wide receiver Gavin Honore and three-star offensive lineman Kyson Mallard.
His departure leaves Georgia with seven commits. The group is ranked as the No. 9 class in the country and the No. 4 class in the SEC by Rivals. It puts even more pressure on them to hold onto five-star cornerback Donte Wright, who has been committed to Georgia since June 2025, but is being pursued by several other programs.
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Georgia
Georgia cop placed on leave after body-slamming man in Walmart: ‘I thought he was dead’
A Georgia police officer was placed on administrative leave after he was captured picking up a man and slamming him to the ground inside a Walmart.
The incident unfolded when police received a report of a man causing a disturbance inside the Walmart in Lovejoy, Ga. — about 20 miles outside Atlanta — at around 8 p.m. on Saturday, Lovejoy Police Chief Steve Wright told Fox 5 Atlanta.
The 20-second distressing clip showed the officer holding the man’s arms behind his back in the electronics section, exchanging words briefly before grabbing him around the chest, hoisting him into the air and slamming him to the ground.
The man, whose identity has not been released, was then rushed to a nearby hospital and will not be facing any charges, Wright told the outlet.
It remains unclear what condition the man was in after being taken to the hospital.
A witness told Fox 5 Atlanta that the officer shocked everyone who watched the incident unfold.
“The officer just lifted him up, and to everyone’s surprise, BAM! Slammed him to the ground, and you could hear the impact to the floor,” the witness, identified only as Ms. DeeDee, said.
“I thought he was dead, everybody thought he died, clocked out,” she said, adding that she believes the cop should be fired over his use of force.
On Sunday, the Lovejoy Police Department said that the officer was placed on administrative leave “pending investigation.”
“The City of Lovejoy Police Department is aware of a video circulating on social media depicting an incident involving one of its officers at a Walmart location,” officials said. “The video appears to show an officer engaged in a physical encounter with an individual whose hands appear to be positioned behind his back. The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under review.
Officials said that it has started an administrative review of the incident.
“The City of Lovejoy Police Department recognizes the community’s interest in this matter and remains committed to transparency, accountability and public safety.”
The probe will dig into incident reports, witness statements and departmental policies and training, the department said, promising “a fair, objective, and timely review.”
Fluellyn also confirmed that the matter was being investigated.
“We want you to know that we are investigating the incident and will share the results of the investigation,” she wrote. “Transparency resides in Lovejoy!”
Chief Wright told Fox 5 Atlanta he anticipates concluding the internal investigation by the end of the week.
Georgia
Georgia officials warn wildfires are still a threat as firefighters report progress
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Officials battling two large wildfires that have destroyed dozens of homes in southern Georgia warned Tuesday that firefighters are bracing for a prolonged battle even after weekend rains gave a big boost to containment efforts.
“A little bit of rain is going to help us, but it’s not going to get us out of this situation,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told a news conference after touring the fire areas Tuesday. “We’re going to be in this for a while.”
A fire that has burned roughly 35 square miles (90 square kilometers) and destroyed more than 80 homes in rural Brantley County was 32% contained, the command team overseeing the fire response said Tuesday. That’s up from just 6% containment reported Monday.
Rains on Sunday slowed the fire enough to give crews an opening to widen containment lines along the perimeter and to snuff out some smoldering pockets, said Johnny Sabo, director of the Georgia Forestry Commission.
“As that number increases, our confidence at holding it in that footprint increases,” Sabo told reporters. He added: “We have a long way to go. I just want to stress that.”
A larger wildfire in sparsely populated Clinch and Echols counties has charred more than 50 square miles (130 square kilometers) at the Georgia-Florida line. Sabo said crews have held that fire to roughly the same footprint for four days. It was considered 23% contained Tuesday.
One home and several dozen sheds and other smaller structures were destroyed, said Don Thomas, a Georgia Forestry Commission spokesperson.
Gov. Brian Kemp speaks on the fires in Southeast Georgia, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Waycross, Ga. Credit: AP/Mike Stewart
An unusually large number of wildfires are burning this spring across the Southeast. Scientists say the threat of fire has been amplified by a combination of extreme drought, gusty winds, climate change and dead trees and other vegetation.
No fire injuries or deaths have been reported in Georgia. A volunteer firefighter in Nassau County, Florida, died last week after suffering an unspecified medical emergency while suppressing a brush fire.
Progress made against the Brantley County blaze prompted local officials to lift evacuation orders Monday for roughly 1,500 people who had fled their homes. About 2,500 remained displaced, said Susan Heisey, a spokesperson for the fire command team.
Local officials have warned people returning home to be prepared to evacuate again if necessary.
Both Georgia fires ignited as the state’s worst drought in two decades has rendered vast pine forests and swampy lowlands tinder dry and highly combustible.
Investigators concluded the Brantley County fire began April 20 when a foil balloon touched a power line, creating an electrical arc that set the ground ablaze. The fire in Clinch and Echols counties started April 18 by a falling spark as a man was welding a gate, according to state officials.
Forecasts showed a high chance of more rain over the fires this weekend. There’s also a possibility of thunderstorms, which can produce lightning that causes new fires.
Officials haven’t said how long the Georgia fires might burn, only that it will take significant rainfall to extinguish them.
Sabo noted that a vast fire sparked by lightning in the nearby Okefenokee Swamp in 2011 burned for just shy of a year.
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