Georgia GOP candidates head to Dallas for midterm convention, possible boost to campaigns

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Republicans from around the nation will gather in Dallas, Texas this week for a rare midterm convention — the brainchild of President Donald Trump.

The miniature Republican National Convention will take place Wednesday and Thursday and will serve to drum up support for Republican candidates in the upcoming November elections.

Several notable Georgia politicians will be in attendance, including state GOP Chairman Josh McKoon.

State Senator Greg Dolezal, the party’s nominee for lieutenant governor, will also be there. And Congressman Mike Collins, the Republican taking on incumbent Democrat Jon Ossoff for his Senate seat, has a primetime speaking slot in Dallas.

“I’m looking forward to joining Republicans from across the country to expose Jon Ossoff’s failed far-left agenda and show the American people how it’s made our nation less safe and less prosperous,” Collins said in an online post. “Ossoff is the most vulnerable incumbent Democrat in America, and Georgia is ground zero in the fight to keep our nation moving in the right direction.”

The race has heated up significantly in recent weeks. Ossoff, who came into the midterm cycle already bearing a massive campaign war chest, is outspending Collins on advertisements and overall ground game operations.

Atlanta News First political analyst Dr. Ben Taylor said while the event itself is largely symbolic, it could still be an opportunity for Collins to connect with voters and fundraisers on a national stage. Collins has also closely aligned his candidacy with the policies of Trump.

“So I think in that sense, he is putting his money where his mouth is,” said Taylor. “The Collins campaign needs every single moment of attention that they can get to remind Georgia voters that he’s on the ballot and to mobilize the base.”

Even for down-ballot candidates, the networking and fundraising opportunities will be there in Dallas.

“It’s all about getting attention, it’s all about getting fundraising, and the fact of the matter is that win or lose, theoretically most of these people want a future in politics, it’s about networking,” said Taylor.

As Collins was preparing for his speaking event in Dallas, members of his constituency rallied in Monroe against Collins’ vote for last summer’s Big Beautiful Bill and an open House Ethics Committee investigation into former members of his congressional staff.

“He has no place in the United States Senate,” said David Ramsey, a District 10 constituent. “And from my point of view, for what he’s done to veterans and farmers and others with his terrible votes, he shouldn’t belong in the House of Representatives either.”

Not every Georgia Republican candidate is attending the midterm RNC. GOP candidate for Georgia governor, Rick Jackson, will instead stay put in state for the week, attending various campaign events around metro-Atlanta.

“While there’s, yes, a lot of things happening at the national level, Rick’s focus is making sure that he’s on the ground communicating directly with the people who are going to be turning out in this election,” said campaign spokesman Garrison Douglas.