ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Gainesville) is raising his hand to be named as a replacement to retiring Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is tasked with appointing someone to replace Isakson, who plans to step down in December. The replacement will serve for 10 months before needing to defend the seat in a special election on Nov. 3, 2020, to win the remaining two years of Isakson's term.
When asked about Isakson’s seat in a recent interview, Collins said “If the governor were to ask me, would I like to take that position and begin that cycle? I would say yes.”
Collins acknowledged that he has discussed the seat with Kemp, saying, “We had a short conversation that dealt with more than that.”
Collins has emerged as one of President Donald Trump's chief defenders in Congress in his role as the top Republican on the House Judiciary panel.
Brian Robinson, a Republican political adviser in Georgia who served as communications director under former Gov. Nathan Deal, says that several members of Georgia’s congressional district have a “leg up” in seeking the appointment because they have the proven campaigning ability and fundraising network needed in such a short sprint.
Robinson said that Collins’ relationship with the president could give him a big advantage.
“Donald Trump likes Doug, and if Donald Trump weighs in for Doug, that’s going to be very persuasive,” Robinson said.
Collins has represented Georgia's 9th congressional district since 2013.
Georgia's other senator, Republican David Perdue, is also defending his seat on the November 2020 ballot, raising Georgia's status as a must-watch 2020 battleground state.
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Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick and AccessWDUN's Ken Stanford contributed to this report.
