Brief
Trump rallies in Dalton with Senate and gubernatorial hopefuls
The event highlighted the GOP's push in a competitive Georgia ahead of the 2026 midterms.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Donald Trump arrived in Dalton, Georgia on Friday for a midterm rally that featured Senate candidate Mike Collins and gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson, according to the Independent.
What happened
The rally took place in Dalton, a north‑west Georgia city known for strong conservative support. Trump, Collins and Jackson addressed a crowd of Republican voters, emphasizing the party’s message ahead of the November midterm elections. The event was part of a broader White House effort to mobilise Republican voters in battleground states.
What the reports add
The Independent noted that Georgia remains a fiercely contested battleground, unlike recent stops in reliably red states such as Alabama, Montana and Tennessee. It also reported that Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff and former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are the opponents of Collins and Jackson, respectively.
What was said
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle was quoted as saying, "President Trump is the unequivocal leader, best messenger, and unmatched motivator for the Republican Party."
Senate candidate Mike Collins’s spokesperson Meyer Siegfried described Collins as a "bipartisan workhorse who will work with anybody" and claimed that "Ossoff hates Trump more than he loves our state."
Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff responded, "I’m surprised Georgia Republicans want the president here. The president coming to town reminds Georgians that Donald Trump and Mike Collins have pushed policies that have driven the cost of groceries, fuel and healthcare to their all‑time highs."
Gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms said, "When Donald Trump says he wants people to imagine that he is on the ballot, I am asking the people of Georgia to do just that," and highlighted Jackson’s pledge to serve as Trump’s "favorite governor."
How it came about
The rally follows a series of Trump campaign stops in red‑leaning states and comes as Republicans seek to solidify support in Georgia, a state that has been central to Trump’s unfounded election‑fraud claims since the 2020 presidential race. Felo News previously covered Trump’s planned attendance at a Georgia‑Alabama football game amid Tropical Storm Isaias, underscoring his focus on the state during the current election cycle.
Key facts
- Donald Trump held a rally in Dalton, Georgia on Friday with Senate candidate Mike Collins and gubernatorial nominee Rick Jackson. (independent.co.uk)
- White House spokesperson Davis Ingle called Trump the "unequivocal leader" for the Republican Party. (independent.co.uk)
- Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff criticised Trump and Collins for policies raising grocery, fuel and healthcare costs. (independent.co.uk)
- Gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms welcomed Trump’s appearance and cited Jackson’s pledge to be Trump’s "favorite governor". (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Trump returns to Georgia, epicenter of his 2020 election lies”
