Full Breakdown
Former Staffer’s Extremist Posts Spotlight Controversies in Mike Collins’ Georgia Senate Campaign
8/27/2026, 10:49:28 PM
Core Event: Former Intern’s Racist and Neo-Nazi Posts Surface
Preston Parra, a 24-year-old who interned for Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) in 2024 and later worked for the candidate’s leadership PAC, posted images on X showing himself in Ku Klux Klan-style robes and a swastika made from the slang term “twink.” Parra called the material “satirical” and identified online as a “twink fascist.” He also shared “white power” slogans and anti-Black slurs. The Washington Post reported the Klan-style image was generated with Grok, X’s AI tool.
Background & Context
Collins, the Trump-endorsed Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, has faced multiple staff-related controversies. Former chief of staff Brandon Phillips was dismissed after a vulgar remark about a sexual-assault survivor appeared on a campaign X account. His successor, Kip Talley, was fired in July after a Slate report linked him to a group chat with white supremacists Nick Fuentes and Richard Spencer. Collins’s son-in-law, David Alan Scheer II, has been accused of sharing Nazi propaganda, and former aide William Paul was recorded hurling antisemitic insults at Rep. Mike Lawler. More than 50 Black Georgia lawmakers have condemned the pattern of extremist associations.
Timeline
- June 30 – Parra responded to a post by preacher Steven Anderson, attaching an image of himself in Klan-style robes.
- May 2025 – Overhaul PAC paid Parra $7,700 for fundraising consulting, per FEC records.
- July 2026 – Parra posted a swastika formed from repeated instances of the word “twink.”
Data & Statistics
- Overhaul PAC payment to Parra: $7,700.
- Senate balance: Republicans 53, Democrats 47; Georgia’s seat is pivotal.
- 50+ Black Georgia lawmakers signed a statement condemning Collins for his staff’s extremist ties.
Official Statements & Responses
Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff said the campaign “already knew about the neo-Nazi propagandist based at his house.” Collins’s campaign asserts Parra “has no affiliation” with the office and that Collins “condemns” the material.
Criticism & Opposition
Several Georgia Republicans warned that the pattern of extremist links could hurt the party’s chances in November. The coalition of Black legislators publicly condemned the campaign’s handling of the staff issues.
Verbatim Quote
- “We do not need a senator that thinks he's a media influencer on X and has no integrity,” — Debbie Dooley, original Tea Party organizer in Georgia
What’s Next
Collins and Ossoff will face off in the November 2024 Senate election, a contest that could decide Senate control. The staff controversies are expected to remain a focal point of media scrutiny and voter discussion as the campaign nears the ballot.
