Controversial Online Posts Stir Debate in Georgia Senate Race
ATLANTA — The social media activity of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins and those close to him has become a focal point in the race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Mike Collins, currently serving as a U.S. Representative, has a history of provocative online posts. His campaign, and those associated with him, have occasionally crossed boundaries with their digital content.
During the Republican primary, Collins dismissed a staff member after the individual ridiculed the wife of a PAC adviser who supported one of Collins’ opponents. The adviser’s wife had disclosed she was a victim of sexual assault.
In 2024, Collins came under scrutiny for a video he shared involving anti-Israel protesters. A counter-protester in the video directed racist gestures at a Black woman. Collins subsequently stated that he did not intend to endorse such behavior.
Sen. Ossoff has now shifted attention to Collins’ family, particularly David Alan Scheer II, Collins’ son-in-law, who has received attention for his frequent social media posts.
According to a CNN report, Scheer’s posts often align with white nationalist and antisemitic ideologies. One post attributed an infographic to Collins’ daughter, discussing Jewish financial influence on the U.S. government.
Sen. Ossoff, addressing reporters virtually, labeled Scheer as “a known bigot and antisemite” and urged Collins to disavow “his extensive and well-documented ties to white nationalists and neo-Nazi ideology.”
Following these allegations, Collins faced intense questioning about the matter during a health care news conference and subsequently canceled the event.
On Monday, two Black ministers convened a news conference demanding Collins clarify his stance on white supremacy.
Rev. Gerald Durley, a retired pastor and civil rights veteran, stated he would not accuse Collins of supporting white nationalism. “However, I do join with countless others for him to publicly denounce the political position of white nationalists,” Durley said at Big Bethel AME Church in Atlanta. “Georgia cannot send a man to Washington to represent all of the people of Georgia who will not disclaim the allegations that he is a white nationalist sympathizer.”
Rev. Timothy McDonald III, senior pastor at First Iconium Baptist Church, expressed his support for Ossoff, yet urged Collins to clarify his views on race and nationalism. “Tell us what you believe so that all of Georgia can make an intelligent choice come this November,” McDonald said.
Scheer’s controversial online presence has brought increased scrutiny to Collins. CNN reported that Collins’ daughter, Scheer’s wife, resides on property owned by Collins.
Scheer has expressed support for the group Patriot Front, per CNN reports.
Last year, Scheer criticized Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a “satanic warmongering Zionist piece of garbage” over military actions in Iran, in a Instagram video. He accused Netanyahu of exploiting Holocaust narratives for political purposes.
The subsequent day, Scheer shared an image on Instagram reminiscent of a Nazi propaganda poster, with a message opposing dying for Israel.
Collins released a statement on Monday to Capitol Beat clarifying that Scheer does not speak for him. “He has had no role in my campaign whatsoever,” Collins stated, emphasizing his condemnation of racism and antisemitism. He reiterated his campaign’s focus on safety, affordability, and opportunities for Georgians, dismissing Ossoff as a “trust fund socialist” with a “far left extreme agenda.”
