GOP Senate hopeful Rep. Mike Collins’ flirtations with antisemitism now extend beyond his social media posts, past several of his former staffers and strategists, and reach directly into his immediate family according to a new report from CNN K-File published Thursday morning. But while state and national Democratic elected officials and organizations have vehemently condemned Collins following the report exposing the congressman’s son-in-law as a white supremacist and neo-Nazi influencer, the Georgia Republican Party and its leaders have so far remained silent.
Collins’ son-in-law David Alan Scheer II repeatedly made overt white supremacist statements, posted antisemitic ideology on social media, and said, “There’s nothing wrong with White Nationalism,” in a YouTube comment, according to CNN.
And Scheer isn’t some far-removed family member with whom Collins doesn’t interact. The report highlighted the white supremacist’s presence on Collins’ campaign website and social media, and even found that Scheer is registered to vote at a home Collins owns and which is next to the congressman’s own house.
Per CNN, Scheer on a podcast last November advocated for “clearing our land of other people” to restore America’s white population. He has repeatedly claimed Jewish people were responsible for a number of things he views as negative, from gun control to the LGBTQ movement. He said on a podcast that “Israel and Zionist Jews” were responsible for policies that “undermine the White Christian nature of America,” and disparaged Black and Indian people. At least one antisemitic infographic Scheer posted was created by his wife, Collins’ daughter, Scheer said.
“My wife made a consolidated version of all the proof jews control our government through finance,” Scheer wrote.
Collins’ son-in-law also produced advertisements for the congressman’s trucking company.
“Rep. Collins’ lifelong support for Israel is unquestionable and backed by his consistent record in Congress of standing up for Israel and her people,” a spokesperson for Collins told CNN in a statement.
Neither the Georgia Republican Party, members of its leadership, or the National Republican Senatorial Committee immediately responded to TPM requests for comment. None of the organizations have acknowledged the report on social media or on their websites as of the time of publishing.
“Mike Collins has repeatedly proven himself to be a bigot and antisemite,” Charlie Bailey, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, said in a public statement. “Now Collins is funding and enabling a white nationalist who films neo-Nazi propaganda. Collins should explain himself and apologize to Georgians immediately, but no matter what bogus answer he gives, we will do everything in our power to keep him out of the U.S. Senate this November.”
Collins’ opponent, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) called Collins’ “ties to neo-Nazi ideology and notorious white supremacists” “disqualifying.”
For Jewish Georgia state rep. Esther Panitch, Collins’ legislative support for Israel is not enough.
“Being pro-Israel is not a hall pass for antisemitism,” Panitch, who is a Democrat, wrote on X. “It is not a shield you hide behind when the hatred is in your own family, on your own property, with your own name attached.”
Panitch called on the congressman and the Georgia Republican Party to condemn Scheer’s antisemitism.
Collins’ senatorial campaign has been dogged by his own offensive and at times violent social media presence. He called a Jewish Washington Post reporter a “garbage human” while interacting with an antisemitic X account and later defended that interaction. His staff choices have also been a stain on the congressman’s campaign. Collins fired campaign advisor Brandon Phillips after Phillips published a crude joke on social media about a woman who accused former television anchor Matt Lauer of rape and whose husband was working for a PAC supporting a Collins opponent. Slate reported that Collins’ chief of staff, Kip Talley, had participated in a group chat with prominent white nationalists like Richard Spencer where he attempted to help Charles Johnson, a white nationalist and Holocaust denier who had been held in contempt of court as part of a racketeering case. Last week, Talley resigned, leaving Collins to welcome his third chief of staff in one year, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Even Republican strategists have admitted that Collins is a tough candidate to get behind, according to reporting from Politico. The party’s skittishness about Collins can be seen in his paltry fundraising numbers. Data from the Federal Elections Commission shows Collins had just over $2 million in cash on hand as of June 30, compared to Ossoff’s more than $42 million.
How long before we get the “but they’re kids” defense for adult children in their mid-twenties?
When I read about congressman Collins and his son-in-law I think Lester Maddox’s old axe handle would come in handy in order to fend off their nonsense.