President-elect Donald J. Trump said on Thursday that he intended to nominate former Representative Doug Collins of Georgia to lead the Veterans Affairs Department, elevating another of his most vocal defenders during his first impeachment inquiry.
“We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need,” Mr. Trump wrote in a statement.
Mr. Collins, 58, who serves in the Air Force Reserve as a chaplain, became the face of Mr. Trump’s first impeachment defense in the House in 2019. Then the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Collins became a fixture on Fox News and led House Republicans’ efforts to undercut the impeachment hearings held by Democrats.
The former congressman launched a challenge to a fellow Republican, Senator Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, in a special election in 2020. Mr. Collins ultimately conceded, after a bitter contest in which he and the deep-pocketed Ms. Loeffler each sought to prove they were the more conservative candidate.
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