On Thursday, I wrote about President Donald Trump’s rally in Rome, Ga., and highlighted how the administration’s policies are benefiting the Peach State. Trump’s rally also turned out plenty of notable Georgia conservatives — including Damn Good Dawgs like Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Ambassador to the Bahamas Herschel Walker, and Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton.
BREAKING: “Gunner Stockton is a big star and really talented QB”
— 🚫 LEE Ring (@HBTFD1) February 19, 2026
-Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/Ekq7UdH5Em
Candidates were there as well, including failed former college football coach Derek Dooley, who is running for Senate. Dooley made sure to have his picture made with Stockton and Walker, despite the fact that he coached at one of our heated rivals, the University of Tennessee. (To be fair, Dooley’s father, Vince, was a legendary coach and athletic director at UGA.)
Related: Mike Collins Is Running Away With Georgia’s GOP Senate Race — and It’s Time to Unite
Also present was Rep. Mike Collins, who is also running for Senate.
I've been attending Trump events since 2016, and it never gets old. There's nothing better than being surrounded by patriots who love this country, want it to succeed, and provide better opportunities for the next generation. pic.twitter.com/lEb1h0fgvk
— Mike Collins (@MikeCollinsGA) February 20, 2026
WATCH: @MikeCollisGA on the U.S. Senate Race. #gapol #gasen
— Team Mike Collins Press 🇺🇸 (@CollinsPressGA) February 20, 2026
"If you want somebody that's willing to go and fight for our values, fight for what we believe in, and whose been through the fire for 30 years, put me in the Senate." pic.twitter.com/PBtbuq6jtH
Before the rally, the president walked into The Varsity, a legendary Georgia restaurant, spoke with fans, and signed autographs.
Side note: The Varsity opened its Atlanta location, near the campus of Georgia Tech, in 1928. The owners opened a location near the campus of the University of Georgia in 1932. That Athens location closed in 2021, but it reopened in nearby Watkinsville (where property taxes are much cheaper) a couple of years later. There are now seven locations, including many nowhere near college campuses. It was a lot more special when Atlanta and Athens were the only two locations.
At the restaurant, one woman asked Trump about Collins:
Woman: Mr. President, question for you, if you don’t mind.
Trump: Okay.
Woman: Mike Collins. Ready for an endorsement yet? He’s an awesome guy.
Trump: He’s a friend of mine. He’s a good guy.
Woman: He is a good guy. We love him.
Trump: Who’s gonna win?
Woman (and others in the crowd): Mike Collins! Mike Collins! Mike Collins is gonna win!
Trump: Well, I tell you, I like him. You’ll see [unintelligible].
Woman: Sounds great. Thank you, sir.
Trump: I like him a lot.
Woman: Awesome. We appreciate everything you’ve done.
HOLY CRAP! Trump was overheard talking to a woman in GA and she brought up @MikeCollinsGA, who's running for the Senate.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 19, 2026
Trump's response is EVERYTHING I need to know: "He's a FRIEND of mine... I like him a lot"
He's THE FIGHTER Trump needs in the Senate, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT! https://t.co/HqFOQv5pBI pic.twitter.com/G0OmLTAHdP
That sounds like a rousing endorsement without being an official endorsement. I wish that Trump would endorse Collins because he has momentum in the race.
PRESS RELEASE: Back-to-back polls show Mike Collins leading the Georgia Republican Primary. @MikeCollinsGA #gapol #gasen pic.twitter.com/Gw4PonGgPX
— Team Mike Collins Press 🇺🇸 (@CollinsPressGA) February 20, 2026
A Trump endorsement could easily swing the high percentage of undecided voters Collins’ way. Besides, Collins is the conservative fighter Georgia needs, and he stands the best chance against incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff.
We need to take Georgia’s Senate seats back to the red side. Collins defeating Ossoff is just the start.
If Georgia conservatives are serious about flipping this Senate seat and pushing back against the policies that got us here, staying informed isn’t optional — it’s essential.
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