View source for Mac Collins

{{Short description|American politician (1944–2018)}}
{{distinguish|text = the English artist and designer [[Mac Collins (designer)|Mac Collins]]}}
{{other people|Michael Collins}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name           = Mac Collins
|image          = MacCollins.JPG
|state          = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
|term_start     = January 3, 1993
|term_end       = January 3, 2005
|predecessor    = [[Richard Ray]]
|successor      = [[Lynn Westmoreland]]
|constituency   = {{ushr|GA|3|3rd district}} (1993–2003)<br>{{ushr|GA|8|8th district}} (2003–2005)
|state_senate1  = Georgia
|district1      = 17th
|term_start1    = January 3, 1989
|term_end1      = January 3, 1993
|predecessor1   = Alex Crumbley
|successor1     = Mike Crotts
|birth_name     = Michael Allen Collins
|birth_date     = {{birth date|1944|10|15}}
|birth_place    = [[Jackson, Georgia]], U.S.
|death_date     = {{death date and age|2018|11|20|1944|10|15}}
|death_place    = [[Flovilla, Georgia]], U.S.
|party          = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] (before 1980)<br>[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] (1980–2018)
|spouse         = Julie Watkins<ref name="ajc_obit"/>
|children       = 4, including [[Mike Collins (politician)|Mike]]
}}

'''Michael Allen''' "'''Mac'''" '''Collins''' (October 15, 1944 – November 20, 2018) was an American businessman and politician. He was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] from 1993 to 2005, representing {{ushr|Georgia|8|}} (previously {{ushr|Georgia|3|}} from 1993 to 2003). In 2004, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the [[2004 United States Senate election in Georgia|United States Senate]].

==Early life==
Collins was born in [[Jackson, Georgia]], and joined a concrete products business run by his father after graduating from high school, eventually expanding it into a [[ready-mix concrete]] company. His mother was the first woman to serve on the [[Flovilla, Georgia]], city council.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.haistenfuneral.com/obituary/michael-allen-mac-collins | title=Obituary for Michael Allen (Mac) Collins at Haisten Funeral Home }}</ref> He attended public schools throughout his youth. He served in the [[Georgia Army National Guard]] from 1964 to 1970.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=COLLINS, Michael Allen (Mac)|url=https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/C/COLLINS,-Michael-Allen-(Mac)-(C000640)/|access-date=February 4, 2022|website=History, Art & Archives U.S. House of Representatives}}</ref>

==Georgia politics and State Senator==
Collins began his political career in 1977, when he was elected to the [[Butts County, Georgia|Butts]] [[County Commission]].<ref name=":0" /> He was immediately elected chairman by his colleagues and served two terms, giving up his seat in 1980 when he switched his party affiliation from [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] to Republican.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-11-26 |title=Mac Collins, Who Represented Georgia for 12 Years in the House, Dead at 74 |url=https://www.rollcall.com/2018/11/26/mac-collins-who-represented-georgia-for-12-years-in-the-house-dead-at-74/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Roll Call |language=en}}</ref> After losing two elections for [[Georgia Senate|Georgia State Senate]], he was elected in 1988 from a district in [[Henry County, Georgia|Henry County]] south of [[Atlanta]] and served two terms there.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mac Collins papers, Georgia State Senate|url=https://aspace-uwg.galileo.usg.edu/repositories/2/resources/363|website=University of West Georgia Special Collections}}</ref>

==U.S. House of Representatives==

=== Electoral history ===
During the 1990s round of redistricting, Democrats in the Georgia state legislature, bent on getting rid of [[Newt Gingrich]], dismantled his old 6th District.  The new map shifted much of Gingrich's former territory south of Atlanta—including Collins's home—to the 3rd District, which at the time was based in [[Columbus, Georgia|Columbus]] and represented by five-term Democrat [[Richard Ray]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Applebome|first=Peter|date=September 10, 1991|title=Democrats Try to Carve Gingrich Out|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/10/us/democrats-try-to-carve-gingrich-out.html|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=New York Times}}</ref>

Collins immediately jumped into the race. In [[1992 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia|1992]], he defeated [[Paul Broun]] (who would later be elected to Congress from the 10th District) in the Republican primary and then defeated Ray in the general election by almost 10 points.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=1994 General Election Results U.S. Congress - 3rd District|url=https://sos.ga.gov/elections/election_results/1994/3rdcong.htm|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=Georgia Secretary of State Election Results}}</ref>

In [[1994 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia|1994]], Collins defeated [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Fred Overby 66%-34%.<ref name=":1" />

In [[1996 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia|1996]], he defeated [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Jim Chafin 61%-39%.

In [[1998 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia|1998]], he ran unopposed for reelection.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Georgia Primary Results -- July 21, 1998|url=https://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/07/22/georgia.results/|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=CNN}}</ref>

In [[2000 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia|2000]], he defeated Democrat Gail Notti 63%-37%.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Georgia District 03 2000 Race|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/races/geography?cycle=2000&id=GA03&spec=N|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=Open Secrets}}</ref>

After the 2000 redistricting cycle, Collins was placed in the 8th District. In [[2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia|2002]], he easily won re-election by the widest margin of his career over [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Angelos Petrakopoulos, 78%-22%.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rep. Mac Collins - Georgia District 08|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/mac-collins/elections?cid=N00002556&cycle=2004&type=S|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=Open Secrets}}</ref>

In [[2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia|2004]], he declined to run for re-election, opting to run for [[U.S. senate|U.S. Senate]]. [[Lynn Westmoreland]] succeeded him representing the 8th District.

=== Congressional Record ===
In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Collins was a member of the [[Ways and Means Committee]], [[Deputy Whip]] for the Republican Party, and was selected by the [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]] to serve on the highly-[[classified information|classified]] [[United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence]]. He lost his role as Deputy Whip of the [[United States House of Representatives]] after the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001 when he informed President [[George W. Bush]] that he would not support the creation of the [[Transportation Security Administration]] (TSA).

Collins was a sponsor in the passage of two bills. The first, H.R. 1121, designated the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 18 Greenville Street in [[Newnan, Georgia]], as the “Lewis R. Morgan Federal Building and United States Courthouse”.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=June 18, 1998|title=H.R. 1316 (105th): To amend chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code, with respect to the order of precedence to be applied in the payment of life insurance benefits.|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/105/hr1316|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=govtrack}}</ref> The second, H.R. 1316, amended chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code, with respect to the order of precedence to be applied in the payment of life insurance benefits.<ref name=":2" />

Collins was focused on commerce, [[tax reform]], foreign trade and international finance, and technology legislation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rep. Michael "Mac" Collins|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/michael_collins/400078|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=govtrack}}</ref>

==Later political career==
===2004 United States Senate campaign===
{{main|2004 United States Senate election in Georgia}}
In 2004, Collins was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for the [[United States Senate]] seat left vacant by the retirement of Senator [[Zell Miller]]; it went to [[Johnny Isakson]], who won the Republican primary. With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Isakson had 53% of votes, followed by [[Herman Cain]] with 26% and Collins with 21%. Isakson went on to win the general election against [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]  [[Congresswoman]] [[Denise Majette]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Pettys|first=Dick|date=July 21, 2004|title=Isakson Wins GOP Primary For Georgia's Senate Seat|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/07/21/isakson-wins-gop-primary-for-georgias-senate-seat/178afedf-ce9f-4444-93bb-ab47df4e0eb3/|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

===2006 campaign for U.S. House of Representatives===
{{main|2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia#District 8}}

In 2006, Collins moved back to Butts County and made an attempt to return to Congress against Democrat [[Jim Marshall (Georgia politician)|Jim Marshall]]. This district included none of the territory Collins represented in his first five terms, but three counties that he represented in his last after a mid-decade Republican redistricting. It made for one of the most competitive House races in the nation. The race featured heavy spending, not only by the candidates themselves, but from independent groups. During the campaign, President [[George W. Bush]] attended a rally to try to help Collins.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PRESIDENT BUSH SPEAKS AT REPUBLICAN ELECTION RALLY IN CENTRAL GEORGIA|url=https://www.alamy.com/president-george-w-bush-r-with-mac-collins-greet-a-republican-rally-gathered-for-collins-campaign-for-us-representative-in-georgias-new-8th-congressional-district-at-the-georgia-national-fairgrounds-agricenters-reeves-arena-in-perry-georgia-on-october-31-2006-upi-photojohn-dickerson-image257251384.html|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=Alamy}}</ref> Marshall narrowly won reelection by 1,700 votes, 50.5%–49.5%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=206833|title=Our Campaigns - GA - District 08 Race - Nov 07, 2006|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
Collins was a [[Christian]] and was married to his wife for 54 years. They had four children including [[Mike Collins (politician)|Mike Collins]] who is a U.S. representative for [[Georgia's 10th congressional district]].

Collins died on November 20, 2018, in [[Flovilla, Georgia]], at age 74.<ref name="ajc_obit">{{Cite news|url=https://politics.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/former-rep-mac-collins-gop-pioneer-georgia-dies/iKYNmfP0OgQeJSgnuRwaxL/|title=Former U.S. Rep. Mac Collins, a GOP pioneer in Georgia, dies at 74|newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|first=Tamar|last=Hallerman|date=November 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=November 25, 2018|title=Former Commissioner and Congressman Mac Collins Passes|url=https://buttscountyga.com/2018/11/25/maccollins/|access-date=February 6, 2022|website=Butts County Georgia Website}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{CongLinks|congbio=C000640}}
*{{C-SPAN|27161}}
* [http://uwg.galileo.usg.edu/uwg/search?keyword=&title=mac+collins&creator=&year=&year-max=&smode=advanced Mac Collins papers at the University of West Georgia]

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{US House succession box
| state = Georgia
| district = 3
| before=[[Richard Ray]]
| after=[[Jim Marshall (Georgia politician)|Jim Marshall]]
| years=January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003}}
{{US House succession box
| state = Georgia
| district = 8
| before=[[Saxby Chambliss]]
| after=[[Lynn Westmoreland]]
| years=January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005}}
{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Mac}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Georgia General Assembly]]
[[Category:American businesspeople in the trucking industry]]
[[Category:American United Methodists]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:County commissioners in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Georgia National Guard personnel]]
[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) Democrats]]
[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) state senators]]
[[Category:People from Jackson, Georgia]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:20th-century Methodists]]
[[Category:21st-century United States representatives]]