Georgia GOP Candidate Faces Controversy Over Endorsement Claims

Rep. Mike Collins, a candidate in the Georgia Senate GOP primary runoff, has been accused of falsely claiming endorsements from several local officials who either support his opponent, Derek Dooley, or deny ever endorsing Collins. Among those mentioned is Wayne County Sheriff Chuck Moseley, who stated he was never in Collins' corner and had his name removed from Collins' campaign website. Other officials, including County Sheriff Earl Prince and County Commissioner Sam Kines, expressed surprise at being listed as Collins' supporters. Kines has since endorsed Dooley. Worth County Sheriff Don Whitaker attributed his inclusion on Collins' list to a communication error, confirming his support for Dooley. The controversy follows a previous backlash against Collins' campaign over a social media post related to rape allegations involving former television host Matt Lauer. The GOP primary runoff is set for June 16, with Collins having received 41% of the vote in the May 19 primary and Dooley 30%. The winner will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in the November election.