Who Is Jon Ossoff? Senator Who Called Trump 'Failed President' Wins US Midterm Reelection In Georgia

Ossoff called for an end to the Iran war, criticised Trump's tariffs and tax cuts, and mocked Eric Trump and Jared Kushner over their international business deals.

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Ossoff, 39, is the youngest member of the Senate.
ossoff/X

Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff has won a second term in Georgia, defeating Republican Congressman Mike Collins.

The win holds a crucial Senate seat for Democrats in a state that backed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

Ossoff, 39, is the youngest member of the Senate. He began the election cycle as a top Republican target and was the only Democratic senator seeking reelection in a state won by Trump.

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Who Is Jon Ossoff?

Ossoff was first elected in 2020, beating Republican Senator David Perdue in a runoff held on January 5, 2021, a day before Trump supporters attacked the US Capitol.

Democrat Raphael Warnock won a special election the same day. Warnock became Georgia's first Black senator and Ossoff its first Jewish senator.

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For this race, Ossoff raised more than $100 million, according to AP, and has attracted speculation about a presidential run in 2028.

A Campaign Built On Attacking Trump

Ossoff ran as an aggressive critic of the president, and clips of his rallies were widely shared online. He called for an end to the Iran war, criticised Trump's tariffs and tax cuts, and mocked Eric Trump and Jared Kushner over their international business deals.

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He also pushed a bill to bar members of Congress from trading individual stocks, and proposed a constitutional amendment to limit corporate money in campaigns.

On Israel, he said he values its security as well as the lives of innocent Palestinians. He has backed some US military aid and opposed other munitions grants.

He said Israel's military had violated international standards in Gaza, but left the question of genocide to the International Criminal Court.

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The Collins Challenge

Trump endorsed Collins, a two-term congressman. He reportedly struggled to raise money, manage his alliance with the president, and answer questions over ties to white nationalists and an unresolved House ethics investigation. Collins said he had always denounced racism and antisemitism.

Ossoff repeatedly attacked him as a bigot. In a debate, he said "Whatever Donald Trump says, Mike Collins does." Collins accused Ossoff of backing open borders and transgender athletes in girls' sports, and of voting with Senator Bernie Sanders every time.

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Ossoff's Victory Speech: ‘First Light Of Dawn'

In his victory speech in Atlanta, Ossoff struck a defiant note, turning his attack on Trump into a message for his supporters. He labelled the president a “failed lame duck president” as he addressed the crowd.

He then urged them to take heart from the night's outcome. “Let tonight's results give you courage that the first light of dawn is on the horizon,” he said.

What The Result Means

The outcome is a bitter confirmation of Trump's slide towards incapable status. Reports noted that some local Republican officials in Georgia had endorsed Ossoff, citing his work on hurricane relief and infrastructure funding.

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