Republican mayors in deep-red Georgia are coming out against Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) despite his endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Politics reporter Greg Bluestein reported for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday that Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Tifton Mayor Julie Smith are both supporting Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff (Ga.).
Both local mayors attribute their support of Ossoff to impeccable constituent services for Georgians having trouble navigating the government.
“I don’t have to track him down. He tracks me down,” said Smith.
Bluestein said that the mayors’ “willingness to cross party lines signals a weakness for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins, who has struggled to unite his party and broaden his appeal following a bruising primary fight.”
Collins, a Trump loyalist, was up against Derek Dooley, who was supported by state Republicans like Gov. Brian Kemp (R).
South Georgia is about as red as it gets according to the 2024 maps, so non-partisan municipal leaders are stepping outside of the political safety bubble to support Ossoff.
“The support is notable because it comes from one of the most conservative corners of Georgia,” explained Bluestein. “Trump carried Tifton’s Tift County by nearly 36 percentage points and Valdosta’s Lowndes County by about 18 points in 2024. The president topped more than 70 percent of the vote in many surrounding counties.”
But Smith explained that Ossoff has been dedicated to helping all parts of the state.
“He’s been very good to South Georgia, and in my nonpartisan role as mayor, I have to look to someone who takes care of their constituents. I’m a Republican, but there are times when a person exceeds the party. They go above and beyond,” Smith explained.
Matheson, the report said, sees himself as a “hard-core conservative.” Yet, the far-right talk radio show host and Ossoff have managed to form an unlikely friendship. Matheson called it one of the biggest surprises of his life.
They previously had what he called a “standoffish” meeting, but the two joined forces to secure $2 million for Valdosta’s transit system. Ossoff was also the first lawmaker to show up after Valdosta was hit by devastating hurricanes.
Matheson is unafraid of any flak he might get from the right for the endorsement.
“I will take heat for this endorsement, and it doesn’t matter,” Matheson said. “There’s no way I can turn my back on this relationship.”
“The voters put me in here to do a job, and that man has been absolutely incredible,” he added.
Ossoff is known for his good relationships with Republicans, and he even secured an endorsement from former U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, another far-right Republican who was caught in Trump’s crosshairs.
Both Republicans are supporting the Republican candidate for governor and other GOP races.