Jon Ossoff Wins Reelection in Georgia, Defeating Mike Collins in a Race Called Soon After Polls Closed

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff won a second term on Tuesday, Nov. 3, defeating Republican Rep. Mike Collins in a Georgia Senate race that was once expected to be among the most competitive in the country. The Associated Press called the race roughly an hour after polls closed at 7 p.m. ET, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. CBS News and NBC News also projected Ossoff the winner.

“What was once expected to be the most competitive U.S. Senate race in the country turned out to be a walk in the park for the incumbent,” the AJC wrote.

Did Jon Ossoff win the election?

Yes. CBS News results with about 96% of the vote in early Wednesday showed:

These are unofficial counts and may change slightly as the final ballots are tallied. CBS noted that Ossoff was the only Democratic senator seeking reelection this year in a state Donald Trump won in 2024. The Daily Beast reported that Trump carried Georgia that year by just over two points.

Ossoff: “Never doubt that unity is possible”

In his victory speech in Atlanta, Ossoff said his support reached across party lines, the AJC reported.

“I thank the hundreds of thousands of independent and Republican voters who joined our winning coalition. Never doubt that unity is possible.”

He thanked by name several local Republican officials who had endorsed him. Ossoff, 39, ran on restoring Medicaid cuts and health-coverage subsidies, and on his record as an accessible senator who brings federal money home, according to the AJC.

Why Collins fell short

• A messy primary. Collins, 59, won the GOP nomination in a June runoff, CBS reported.
• Staff controversies. His campaign faced questions about people in his circle, including a former staffer who reportedly shared Nazi and KKK images on social media, according to CBS. In one debate, Ossoff told him, “You hired half the Third Reich to staff your office,” The Daily Beast reported.
• Closeness to Trump. Collins, a trucking business owner who has served in the House since 2023, was a close Trump ally. CBS said that closeness was seen as a boon for Ossoff, and The Daily Beast said moderates in the state rejected the GOP pick.
• Polling and money. Ossoff led in the polls heading into Election Day. The Daily Beast said late surveys had him ahead by about eight points, and CBS called him “a formidable fundraiser.”

The Natalie Harp moment

Ossoff drew national attention earlier in the campaign for a rally line about the president’s “travel with Natalie,” a reference to Trump aide Natalie Harp, The Daily Beast reported. The remark set off a wave of coverage of Trump’s close relationship with Harp. Harp was not a candidate and played no role on the ballot.

The Daily Beast also noted that some Democrats call Ossoff a possible future national leader, though he has denied plans to run for president in 2028.

A broader Democratic night in Georgia

Ossoff’s win came alongside other Democratic gains in the state. The AJC reported that Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected governor, the first Black woman to win the office, and described a Democratic sweep of statewide offices. Nationally, Democrats won control of the Senate, with Ossoff’s seat counted among the holds that made the majority possible.

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