US midterms: Ossoff defeats rival to retain key Georgia Senate seat for Democrats

Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff won reelection in Georgia on Tuesday, according to media projections, defeating President Donald Trump-backed Republican US Representative Mike Collins and preserving a crucial seat as Democrats seek to regain control of the Senate.

Ossoff’s victory in one of the country’s most closely contested Senate races marks an important win for Democrats in a state Trump carried by two percentage points in the 2024 presidential election. 

It also keeps the party’s hopes of securing a Senate majority alive as results come in from across the country.

The senator, widely viewed as a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, raised $126 million more than Collins during the campaign. 

Collins, meanwhile, benefited from $18 million in outside spending after emerging from a three-way Republican primary and subsequent runoff.

Trump had endorsed Collins over former college football coach Derek Dooley, who had the backing of outgoing Republican Governor Brian Kemp.

Republicans entered Tuesday’s elections with a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to take control of the chamber.

Georgia was among the seats Democrats had to defend to have a realistic chance of achieving that goal. 

Their path also depended on retaining a seat in Michigan and defeating Republican incumbents in Maine and North Carolina, while making further gains in states Trump won by double-digit margins in 2024, including Ohio, Alaska, Iowa and Texas.

A Democratic Senate majority would give the party greater influence over legislation and the confirmation of senior government appointments, while making it harder for Trump to advance his agenda during the remainder of his presidency.