Rep. Mike Collins is assembling a roster of President Trump's inner circle ahead of a critical Georgia Senate runoff, signaling where the former president's endorsement may ultimately land.
Three of Trump's most influential political operatives have joined Collins' campaign. Tony Fabrizio, who served as Trump's 2024 adviser, will function as pollster and senior strategist. Tim Saler, the Trump campaign's chief data strategist, takes on the same role for Collins. Chip Englander, who managed Trump's battleground state operations, signed on as general consultant.
The hiring spree carries obvious implications. These are not second-tier operatives or generalists for hire. Their presence on Collins' payroll suggests Trump is seriously considering an endorsement before the June 16 primary runoff against Derek Dooley, the former University of Tennessee football coach who finished second in last week's primary with 30 percent of the vote. Collins captured 41 percent but fell short of the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid the runoff. The winner will face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in the general election.
What makes this particularly intriguing is the potential for conflict. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is backing Dooley. Trump and Kemp have a fraught history. Trump endorsed Kemp's 2018 gubernatorial campaign but later turned hostile after Kemp refused to help overturn Trump's 2020 election loss in Georgia. Trump backed a primary challenger against Kemp in 2022, a move the governor easily survived. During the 2024 campaign, Trump's attacks on Kemp alarmed Republicans worried the state needed the popular governor's support to beat Democrats.
Recent signs suggest that rift may be healing. Shortly after his 2025 inauguration, Trump publicly praised Kemp at a Republican Governors Association meeting, a notable shift from the previous antagonism.
Trump's endorsement patterns, however, remain difficult to predict. His top strategists previously worked for Texas Sen. John Cornyn, yet Trump ultimately backed Cornyn's primary opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The former president does not always follow the conventional wisdom about his own team's preferences.
A Collins endorsement would test whether Trump and Kemp's warming relationship can withstand a direct proxy fight in Georgia's most watched primary race.
Author James Rodriguez: "These hires tell you everything you need to know about Collins' strategy and Trump's potential play in the race, but Trump could still surprise everyone."
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