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The Hill
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Collins jumps into Georgia Senate race
Rep. Mike Collins (R) announced on Monday that he's jumping into the Georgia Senate race after teasing a potential challenge to Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) last week. Collins in his ad touted helping President Trump pass his major policy legislation and his work on the Laken Riley Act, a law that allows federal officials to detain some immigrants without legal status who have been charged with certain crimes like theft and burglary. His ad also plays audio of Trump praising Collins, saying 'Mike Collins. Mike, you were fantastic. He loves this state, and he took this very personally.' 'I don't know who Jon Ossoff really works for, but it sure as heck isn't Georgia,' Collins says in the roughly minute-long video. 'It's time to send a trucker to the U.S. Senate to steamroll the radical left, deliver on President Trump's America First agenda, and put the people of Georgia back in the driver's seat,' concludes Collins, whose family owns a trucking company. Collins is the son of the late Rep. Mac Collins (R-Ga.), who also sought a run for Senate in 2004 but lost in the primary to former Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). Georgia is one of Senate Republicans' best pickup opportunities in 2026, and the race to take on first-term Ossoff is taking shape. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) is also vying for the seat, while former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley is eyeing a run. Insurance Commissioner John King had launched a campaign to take on Ossoff but later dropped out. Meanwhile, influential Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who declined to run for Senate, is getting behind Dooley, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution — setting up a potential clash between Kemp and Trump over their preferred picks. The president has not yet signaled who he would endorse, but his backing would prove influential in the primary. While the GOP primary heats up, Ossoff is shoring up his war chest. The incumbent has brought in staggering double-digit hauls over the last several fundraising quarters. Senate Democrats knocked Collins over his Senate announcement, with Maeve Coyle, a spokeswoman for the Senate Democrats' campaign arm saying in a statement: 'Mike Collins is an extremist who will have to answer for his vote to spike costs and strip health care from up to 750,000 Georgians.' 'While Collins is entering an already messy and divisive primary where candidates' race to the right will result in a deeply flawed nominee, Senator Ossoff is building a campaign that will allow him to hold this seat in 2026.'
19 hours ago
- Politics
Georgia Republican Mike Collins joins field seeking to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026
ATLANTA -- Georgia Republican Mike Collins said Monday that he will join the field challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff in the state the GOP has named as their top target to add a Senate seat in 2026. A second-term member of Congress from a district east of Atlanta, Collins becomes the newest top Republican to get into the primary race. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter is already running, while state Insurance Commissioner John King dropped out. Also expected to run is former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley. 'Jon Ossoff must go,' Collins said in a July 8 video. 'He certainly doesn't represent the vast majority of Georgians. He certainly doesn't represent the Georgia values that I cherish so much. Collins had been mulling a run since Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced in May that he would not run against Ossoff, depriving Republicans of their top choice to challenge a senator who won the 2021 runoff in the wake of the 2020 election. Twin victories by Ossoff and Raphael Warnock gave Democrats control of the U.S. Senate at the time and. It was the first time since 2002 that Georgia had two Democratic senators. Although Democrats have made Georgia increasingly competitive, Collins is among those who view Ossoff's election as a fluke and proclaim that the state is still fundamentally conservative. 'We deserve to have two U.S. senators who are out there fighting for us, and protecting us, not some woke overlords or some far-left-wing California donor base," Collins said in the video. The 58-year-old Collins is the son of the late Mac Collins, who was an eight-term congressman who began his political career as a Democrat before becoming a Republican. Mike Collins is a co-owner of a family trucking firm and made a losing bid for Congress in 2014. He reemerged to win a 2022 race for an open seat, portraying himself as an everyman trucker and hard-core Donald Trump acolyte. With a big, booming personality and an edgy social media presence, Collins calls himself a 'MAGA workhorse.' Kemp and Trump have met and said they would try to agree on a preferred candidate. Anyone anointed by both of them would be stamped as the Republican front-runner. Kemp told Collins and others he would support Dooley, but Trump isn't ready to endorse yet. Collins has portrayed his interest in the Senate as seeking to best serve Trump 'I am going to continue to talk with President Trump and his team just about where we can be the best, beneficial, most help in this mission to make sure we get a Republican in the U.S. Senate from Georgia," Collins said in the July 8 video. Collins' district stretches across 18 counties from the eastern suburbs of Atlanta through Athens. His best-known legislative accomplishment is a law passed this year to require the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency to detain undocumented immigrants charged with theft. That was a response to the 2024 murder of Laken Riley, a nursing student who was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan man who federal officials said entered the U.S. illegally and was allowed to stay while he pursued his immigration case. The representative portrays himself as someone who can get things done, but he often takes a combative approach on social media. In March 2024 he was criticized for promoting a post from an antisemitic account that attacked a Jewish journalist as a 'garbage human.' In February 2024, his account on the social media platform X was temporarily suspended after he suggested that someone who had been arrested by federal authorities should be transported by 'Pinochet Air,' a reference to people who were thrown to their deaths from helicopters during the rule of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. That strategy could help Collins draw attention to wield against Ossoff — the only Democratic Senate incumbent seeking reelection in 2026 who represents a state Trump won. The race has already begun. Ossoff held his second campaign rally July 12 in Savannah. National Republicans have advertised against Ossoff's opposition to a bill barring schools from allowing transgender athletes to participate in women's sports. Ossoff raised $21 million in the first six months of this year and had $15.5 million in cash on June 30. But that's only the beginning. Ossoff and Warnock's twin Senate victories in 2021 cost more than $900 million combined, according to OpenSecrets, which tracks political spending. Warnock's 2022 reelection over Republican Herschel Walker cost more than $470 million, OpenSecrets found.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Student apartments dominate the Strip: What's open and coming soon to Cumberland Ave.
The metamorphosis of Cumberland Avenue has added more student housing near the University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus and effectively changed the character of the Strip, which for decades was dominated by local shops and restaurants. Two new apartment buildings are opening for the fall semester under the Hub Knoxville brand. Co-developed by Schenk Realty Group and Core Spaces, the completed buildings at 1925 and 2001 Cumberland Ave. will mark the end of Phase 1 in the three-phase Hub Knoxville project. Hub Knoxville apartments, ranging from studios to five-bedroom units, will come fully furnished. The buildings can accommodate 1,645 students combined, and both will be filled. Rent ranges from $1,261 to $1,745, according to A Jimmy John's, medical clinic and the Cumberland Foodhall will open on the ground level of the building at 1925 Cumberland Ave. Other amenities open to residents of both buildings include a rooftop deck, coffee shop, study areas and fitness centers. Not on the Strip but nearby, another new complex called The Mark will welcome students this fall at 124 S. Concord St. near Tyson Park. The new development sits between Kingston Pike near campus and Sutherland Avenue, where UT has prioritized its expansion. Students interested in avoiding the congestion of Cumberland Avenue might want to consider this off-Strip option. Developed by Landmark Properties, the complex features 291 units ranging from studios to five bedrooms. The price per bed is between $1,200 and $1,600 per month, and amenities include a rooftop pool, media wall and outdoor courtyards. Apartments opening soon on Cumberland Avenue and near the Strip Construction isn't slowing down. Over the next two years, three additional apartment buildings are set to open on or near the Strip. Hub Knoxville plans to open its third building next year at 1990 Cumberland Ave., and the fourth would open in 2027 at 1801 Cumberland Ave. Every amenity across the four Hub Knoxville buildings will be open to all residents. Just south of the Strip is another student housing development under construction. EVER Knoxville will open in 2026 at 1919 Lake Ave. Previously called VERVE, the project includes 136 units that would house nearly 500 students. Floorplans range from single bedrooms to five-bedroom units, each fully furnished with stainless steel appliances and a full-size washer and dryer. Community amenities include a pool, podcast room, cafe, club rooms and spas. The temporary leasing office is at 1711 Cumberland Ave. Apartments already welcoming students onto the Strip The Strip already has several apartments and condominiums that are open and leasing units. Lake Plaza Condominiums: Three-bedroom apartments available at 1735 Lake Ave. | 865-673-6600 ext. 102 | Lake Terrace Condominiums: Three-bedroom apartments available at 1800 Terrace Ave. | 865-673-6600 | Nova Knoxville: Floor plans with two, three, four and five bedrooms available at 2223 Cumberland Ave. | 865-459-0034 | Renaissance III Condominiums: Three-bedroom apartments available at 1801 Lake Ave. | 865-673-6600 | Slate at 901: Floorplans with two, three and four bedrooms available at 901 Mountcastle St. | 865-328-7190 | The Standard: Floorplans with two, three, four and five bedrooms available at 705 S. 17th St. | 888-912-7805 | St. Christopher Square Condominiums: Three-bedroom apartments available at 2201 Lake Ave. | 865-673-6600 ext. 102 | Tenn: Floorplans with three, four and five bedrooms available at 1830 Cumberland Ave. | 865-239-9818 | Tradition Knoxville: Two-bedroom floorplans available at 2521 Kingston Pike | 844-748-5497 | Union Knoxville: Studio apartments and floorplans with two, four and five bedrooms available at 2136 Cumberland Ave. | 865-518-4128 | Keenan Thomas reports on higher education for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville student apartments on the Strip opening for fall UT semester Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King drops out of 2026 Republican race for US Senate
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King dropped out of the 2026 Republican race for the U.S. Senate Thursday, admitting that he likely wouldn't earn the nomination to face Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, considered the Senate's most vulnerable Democratic incumbent coming up for reelection. King quit hours after Republican Gov. Brian Kemp informed King and other Senate candidates that he would be supporting former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley in a Republican run for the Senate post. Dooley's campaign hasn't launched yet, but in recent weeks he has hired two of Kemp's closest political aides, signaling an announcement is imminent. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter is already running, and Thursday's news brought a public acknowledgment that U.S. Rep. Mike Collins will be joining the field, a plan Collins has repeatedlyteased in recent days. King said he would run for reelection as state insurance commissioner next year, saying he would support efforts to help Republicans win 'and back a Senate nominee who supports President Trump's agenda.' 'I got into the U.S. Senate race to beat Jon Ossoff, not distract from the mission. Right now it's clear there's little path forward to the nomination, so today I'm suspending my campaign,' King said in a statement. Kemp's support of Dooley hurt King Kemp himself opted out of the Senate race this spring, depriving Republicans of their strongest possible candidate. But he and Donald Trump pledged after Kemp's exit that they would try to work together to anoint a favorite. Kemp has long family ties to Dooley and his support for the son of University of Georgia coaching legend Vince Dooley has become clear in recent weeks. But Trump is still meeting with hopefuls and is expected by many to wait to weigh in until his team has fully screened them and assessed their chances and after his budget priorities make their way through Congress. Kemp's support of Dooley proved fatal to the campaign of King, a man he plucked from obscurity in 2022 to appoint as insurance commissioner and Georgia's first Hispanic statewide officer. King once looked like he would be Kemp's backup plan if Kemp didn't run for Senate himself. With a history as Mexican immigrant who rose from police officer and soldier to police chief and National Guard major general, his supporters hoped his biography would distinguish him. But Kemp told his donors to hold off on making gifts, and King raised a little more than $500,000 through June 30, sparking questions about whether he could pay for the race. Others say they won't be pushed out. A spokesperson for Collins confirmed that Kemp called Collins Thursday to tell Collins he would be supporting Dooley. Although Collins hasn't yet officially announced his campaign, the spokesperson said Collins looked forward to being the nominee. 'Congressman Collins and the governor had a positive call,' the spokesperson said. 'The congressman reiterated to the governor he is focused on continuing to deliver on President Trump's agenda and looks forward to the governor's support after he wins the primary.' Carter slammed Kemp's move to boost Dooley. 'Politicians don't elect our senators — the people of Georgia do,' spokesperson Harley Adsit wrote in an email. 'There's only one candidate in this race who is a MAGA warrior and only one who will take the fight to radical liberal Jon Ossoff.' Unknowns loom about Dooley Former state Sen. Eric Johnson, who is supporting Carter, said King's decision reflects how important money and high-profile backers are in politics, calling his decision to drop out 'a casualty of the lack of ability to self-fund.' That's not a problem for Carter — of the $3.6 million his campaign raised through June 30, $2 million was a loan from the candidate. Carter has already spent $2.5 million, including television ads seeking to build support. 'It will be interesting to see what the base Republican voter thinks about somebody trying to handpick their senator,' Johnson said, adding he is supporter of Kemp. As a teenager, Kemp was a frequent guest in the Dooley home, and he roomed with Derek's older brother, Daniel Dooley, at the University of Georgia. Kemp has the most effective Republican political organization in Georgia, and Dooley has Kemp political strategist Cody Hall and fundraiser Chelsey Ruppersburg. Since first publicly expressing interest in June, Dooley has also met with top Republicans in Washington. Opponents are already lampooning Dooley for failing to publicly support Trump or other Republicans before now. Someone launched an anonymous University of Tennessee-themed website called 'Dooley's Volunteers' that criticizes Dooley for a lack of conservative credentials, interspersed with quotes from sports reporters panning Dooley's coaching tenure. Kemp and Trump hoped to work together to avoid the conflict that plagued Kelly Loeffler's unsuccessful run before she lost to Democrat Raphael Warnock in a 2021 runoff. That, along with Sen. David Perdue's loss to Ossoff on the same day, handed control of the U.S. Senate to Democrats. Trump had preferred Collins, while Kemp backed Loeffler. In 2022, Trump anointed Georgia football legend Herschel Walker as the Republican nominee. Walker's candidacy proved flawed, and Kemp only swung in to help in the runoff, which Warnock won. Their effort to jointly screen 2026 candidates produced some results — U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene declined a Senate run after pressure from other Republicans.
Toronto Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King drops out of 2026 Republican race for US Senate
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King dropped out of the 2026 Republican race for the US Senate Thursday, admitting on X that he likely wouldn't earn the nomination to face Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, considered the Senate's most vulnerable Democratic incumbent coming up for reelection. A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, who had suggested he may join the Republican race, said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called the representative and said he would be supporting former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley's campaign, which he hasn't launched yet.
