Ossoff presses Georgia Republican Collins over CNN report on past posts
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The gist
Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff demanded Republican rival Mike Collins explain a CNN report on past violent remarks.
The race's final stretch now turns on extremism 11 days before Election Day.
Background
Jon Ossoff is Georgia's Democratic U.S. senator, running for re-election against Mike Collins, a Republican congressman and the state's Republican Senate nominee. On Oct 23, 2026, CNN's KFile published a review of Collins' past posts and interviews, including previously unreported remarks suggesting American military and political leaders deserved to be hanged from a helicopter and joking about pushing then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi out of a plane. The report landed as Collins already faced scrutiny over associations with figures linked to White nationalism and the far-right, and as early voting was under way in Georgia.
How it unfolded
- Aug 2021Amid the Afghanistan withdrawal, Collins tweeted that someone saying hanging military or political leaders from a helicopter 'is what should happen' would 'probably get banned,' and joked about pushing then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi out of an airplane.
- Mar 2022Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers was censured by her party-led state senate after speaking at a White nationalist conference and calling for 'more gallows'; Collins continued to praise her and accepted her endorsement.
- 2024Collins sent a social media post that Ossoff characterized as calling for immigrants to be thrown to their deaths from helicopters.
- Jul 2026KFile revealed Collins' son-in-law is a pro-White nationalist social media influencer with a track record of sharing antisemitic material and Nazi imagery.
- Oct 13, 2026In the Georgia Senate debate in Atlanta, Ossoff accused Collins of calling for immigrants to be thrown from helicopters; Collins did not address the accusation directly and pivoted to immigration enforcement.
- Oct 18, 2026Ossoff called Collins 'a crumbling little bigot' and challenged him to a second debate, saying 'If you want to go again, I'm ready.'
- Oct 23, 2026CNN KFile published a review of Collins' past posts and interviews, including the previously unreported helicopter and Pelosi remarks; the Collins campaign did not respond to CNN's request for comment.
- Oct 23, 2026In Augusta 11 days before Election Day, Ossoff demanded Collins explain why he continues to allow production of white nationalist and antisemitic propaganda on his property.
Who’s saying what
- Ossoff
- Ossoff called the conduct 'completely disqualifying,' said Collins is 'surrounded at work, at home and on his campaign by neo-Nazis and white nationalists,' and said Georgians will 'end his career' in 11 days.
- Collins
- Collins said 'I condemn any sort of hate speech, antisemitism, hate of any kind. It's abhorrent,' said he had fired people over previous incidents, and told Ossoff 'I'm a little tired of this, Jon,' accusing him of fueling threats against his family.
Still unverified
Collins reposted and commented on an image that purported to show the Taliban hanging someone from a helicopter, per CNN. Ossoff's campaign cited Daily Beast reporting that Collins promoted 'campaign-appointed leaders' with criminal charges and ties to a far-right group; the sources present this as another outlet's reporting.