Ossoff Defends Georgia Seat With Tariff and Iran War Attacks
The senator secured re-election against Rep. Mike Collins in a race centered on economic policy and personal history.
By Marta Gray ·
Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff defeated Republican challenger Mike Collins in Georgia on Tuesday, NBC News projected. The result secures a key seat for Democrats in a state that has served as a critical battleground for Senate control in recent cycles.
Ossoff maintained a commanding lead throughout the campaign, bolstered by a substantial funding advantage and favorable polling data. His early momentum allowed him to set the terms of debate, focusing heavily on the national economic climate.
The senator positioned himself as a counterweight to President Donald Trump’s administration. He repeatedly pressed Collins to defend the current tariff regime and the ongoing war in Iran. Ossoff argued that these policies were driving up the price of consumer goods.
Collins attempted to shift the focus to the Biden era, citing inflation caused by previous Democratic policies. During the first Senate debate, he pointed to the Green New Deal, which Ossoff supported as a lawmaker. Collins stated that the source of high costs was the administration that left office in January 2025.
The campaign also featured sharp personal exchanges. Ossoff highlighted social media posts from Collins’ son-in-law promoting white nationalist content. He also referenced messages from a former Collins staffer with Nick Fuentes, an avowed white supremacist. Ossoff described the Collins staff as hiring half the Third Reich.
Collins defended the Iran war by citing the need to prevent a nuclear threat. He called the tariffs fair for Georgia’s major ports, specifically mentioning Savannah and Brunswick. He noted that his opponent had voted to block the full release of the Epstein files, which included contributions to a pro-Ossoff super PAC from billionaire Reid Hoffman.
