ATLANTA — U.S. Rep. Doug Collins served as Chaplain of the Day on the House floor on Tuesday, honoring former Rep. Jay Powell.

Collins declined to comment on whether or not he is planning a run at current Sen. Kelly Loeffler’s seat in the next election.

The Gainesville Republican shared a message of learning from the lawmakers next to you to the House members in the room. He called for lawmakers to work together — as opposed to the “chaotic and crazy” atmosphere in Washington, D.C. 

“You may be working on bills and you may have things that you’re going to do today,” Collins said, “but there’s a bigger purpose here for all of us no matter where we serve, and if you don’t believe that. Just ask the people who voted for you.”

He recalled Powell as a mentor, fellow lawyer, lawmaker and friend.

“My question is do you mentor the people next to you in your life,” Collins said. “You’re here for a purpose you don’t sit next to each other, not to get to know each other. Find those places in time to mentor each other learn from each other, days hours, we’re all mere Americans serving the state of Georgia.”

Collins has become Georgia’s national personality, as a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, taking the lead during impeachment proceedings.

The Gainesville Republican was rumored to be eyeing former Sen. Johnny Isakson’s vacant Senate seat last year, with President Donald Trump lobbying for him at multiple Georgia fundraisers. Trump was vocal that Collins was his preferred pick but Gov. Brian Kemp had the ultimate say.

After Loeffler’s appointment by Kemp, Collins remained quiet on a possible challenge for her seat in November. The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported Monday that Collins is set to make a run for the Senate seat. He declined comment on the rumors Tuesday. 

“There’ll be more coming later,” Collins told reporters.

On Monday, the Associated Press reported the House Government Affairs Committee voted Tuesday to advance House Bill 757 — that would require party elections to have primaries which would set Democratic and Republican primaries in May. The change eases the path for other GOP candidates to run against Loeffler.  

The bill will go next to the House floor for full debate.

House Speaker David Ralston called Collins a man of “courage and conviction” and told lawmakers he had a “confession” — Collins is his friend, he said.

“He has stood by me when few would,” Ralston said, “and I don’t forget things like that.”

When asked if his introduction was an endorsement for Collins as the next U.S. senator, Ralston said he is not endorsing anyone.

“The only endorsement I’m doing is to keep the Republican majority in the Statehouse,” Ralston said. “That’s my number one overriding all-consuming goal and objective. At the same time I’m not going to run away from the fact that Doug Collins has been my friend for almost 20 years.”

Ralston said he supported House Bill 757 that would do away with Georgia’s “jungle primary” system — saying Georgia is one of the few states left that doesn’t have party election primaries.

He said his support of the bill is not to undercut Kemp and Loeffler or back a win for the Democrats.

“This is not about personalities,” he told reporters. “This is about making the elections more orderly more sensible.”