Doug Collins (politician)
Doug Collins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Official portrait, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office February 5, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Donald Trump | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Paul R. Lawrence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Denis McDonough | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 9th district | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tom Graves (redistricting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Andrew Clyde | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 27th district | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Stacey Reece | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Lee Hawkins | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Douglas Allen Collins August 16, 1966 Gainesville, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Republican | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Lisa Jordan (m. 1988) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | University of North Georgia (BA) New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv) Atlanta's John Marshall Law School (JD) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Years of service | 2002–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Colonel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Douglas Allen Collins (born August 16, 1966) is an American lawyer, politician, and military officer serving as the 12th United States secretary of veterans affairs since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. representative for Georgia's 9th congressional district from 2013 to 2021 and in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013, representing the 27th district, which includes portions of Hall County, Lumpkin County, and White County. Collins has served as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve since 2002, and was promoted to colonel in 2023.
On January 29, 2020, Collins announced he would run in the November 2020 special election for Georgia's Class III U.S. Senate seat. He finished in third place in the state's nonpartisan blanket primary, behind Democrat Raphael Warnock and incumbent Republican Kelly Loeffler, failing to make it to the top-two runoff election. Collins had opted out of a House re-election bid to run for the Senate and was succeeded there by Andrew Clyde. In April 2021, Collins stated he would not be running in Georgia's 2022 gubernatorial election or concurrent Senate election. After leaving office, he served as a legal counsel for Trump before he nominated him to the Cabinet.
On November 14, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Collins as the United States secretary of veterans affairs. Collins was confirmed by the United States Senate to the office on February 4, 2025, by a vote of 77–23, and took office the next day.