Gaines set to succeed Georgia’s Collins in House

Republican Houston Gaines is projected to win Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ, defeating Democrat Pamela DeLancy in the race for the open House seat.

Gaines, a Georgia state representative endorsed by President Trump, will succeed Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), who gave up his House seat to run for Senate .

Gaines’s victory came with little surprise. The district, which includes Athens and stretches across parts of northeast and central Georgia, is considered a Republican stronghold and hasn’t elected a Democrat since former Rep. Don Johnson Jr. (D-Ga.) in 1992. Collins easily won reelection in 2024 with more than 63 percent of the vote.

Gaines, an Athens native, has served in the Georgia House since 2019 and is vice chair of the state House Republican Caucus. He represents portions of Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties.

The Republican won a three-way primary in May against film executive Ryan Millsap and Jeffrey Baker, with Trump’s endorsement helping him secure the party’s nomination.

Gaines campaigned on cracking down on illegal immigration, supporting law enforcement, cutting government spending and lowering taxes. He also emphasized his record in the state legislature, including legislation aimed at restricting cashless bail and supporting state immigration enforcement policies.

The Republican has pointed to the 2024 murder of nursing student Laken Riley in Athens as a reason for tougher immigration laws. Riley was attacked and killed while jogging by a Venezuelan migrant, and her death became a flash point in the national immigration debate.

Outside politics, Gaines works in business development at Carter Engineering, an engineering firm in northeast Georgia. He graduated from the University of Georgia, where he studied political science and economics.

His opponent DeLancy, a retired Army colonel and registered nurse, won the Democratic nomination over Lexy Doherty, who unsuccessfully challenged Collins in 2024.