Senate candidate Mike Collins cut ties Friday with a controversial operative at the center of a House Ethics complaint after a history of provocative social media posts and mounting scrutiny ahead of a June GOP runoff against Derek Dooley.
The breaking point for the House Republican with Brandon Phillips came Friday when Collins’ campaign account mocked a Dooley operative whose wife attempted suicide after accusing former NBC host Matt Lauer of rape.
The now-deleted post described the operative as “Matt Lauer’s sloppy seconds,” triggering swift condemnation from prominent Georgia Republicans and raising questions about the congressman’s viability in a general election against Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Collins said in a statement that the social media post was “despicable and unauthorized.”
“The statement was made without my knowledge or approval and in no way represents or reflects my values or the values of this campaign,” he said. “I want to apologize for this offensive tweet. I have made staffing changes to ensure this type of behavior never happens again.”
Collins didn’t name the staffer involved. But the campaign confirmed the staffer is Phillips, who didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Dooley’s campaign said the episode echoes a broader argument it has made throughout the campaign: that Collins’ hard-edged political style could jeopardize Republican chances in November.
“This kind of disgusting behavior does not represent Georgia values — or frankly any values — and is exactly why Mike Collins cannot be our nominee this November,” Dooley said on social media. “A vote for Collins is a vote for Ossoff.”
The Republican strategist mentioned in the Collins campaign post is Luke Thompson, an adviser to a pro-Dooley PAC. He is married to Brooke Nevils, who published a book earlier this year detailing allegations that Lauer raped her in his hotel room at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi while she was an NBC staffer.
Nevils said she attempted suicide and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder in the years that followed. The former anchor denied raping Nevils in a 2019 statement, saying it was “consensual.”
A veteran Georgia operative, Phillips has long helped Collins craft his combative online persona and attention-grabbing political attacks. But Phillips also brought years of baggage.
Once President Donald Trump’s Georgia state director, he has faced repeated allegations of violent or threatening behavior, public controversies and, more recently, an ethics inquiry centered on allegations he misused taxpayer funds while serving as Collins’ chief of staff.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
The House Ethics Committee is reviewing allegations that Phillips misused taxpayer funds and paid his girlfriend for a no-show internship. Collins and Phillips have both denied wrongdoing, with Collins calling it a “nothing burger.”
Collins has previously stood firmly by Phillips, recently elevating him to senior policy adviser.
“He’s a great guy, and I have full confidence in him,” Collins told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for a story earlier this year looking into Phillips’ tactics.
He has survived years of controversies that might have sidelined other operatives.
Court records from 2008 show he admitted he destroyed a laptop and slashed another person’s tires in Bibb County and was sentenced under first offender status to three years on probation and ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution.
Just months later, Phillips was charged with simple assault and battery in an altercation with a neighbor at a townhome complex, though the charges were dropped after he completed a pretrial diversion program.
He resigned as Trump’s Georgia state director just weeks before the 2016 election after his guilty plea to criminal trespassing charges years prior resurfaced.
In November 2022, he was charged with a misdemeanor in Dougherty County for allegedly kicking GOP activist Tifani Eledge’s dog. At the time, Eledge and Phillips were in a dispute after she publicly accused him of mishandling Republican Party funds. Prosecutors ultimately decided not to pursue charges.
In July 2024, Phillips was in a scuffle at a Trump campaign office opening in Valdosta, where he was accused of spitting in the face of a paper-ballot advocate with a history of confronting political leaders. Phillips denied spitting on the activist.
Instead, his reputation as a ruthless political enforcer often enhanced his standing among candidates seeking hard-edged campaign tactics. His other Georgia clients include state Sen. Greg Dolezal, a candidate for lieutenant governor, and newly elected U.S. Rep. Clay Fuller.
But what used to play as red-meat political theater inside Republican circles is now colliding with a nationally watched U.S. Senate race that could decide control of the chamber.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
