ATLANTA — Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff ruled out a 2028 presidential campaign Tuesday night as he clashed with Republican challenger Rep. Mike Collins over the economy, the 2020 election and allegations of extremism during their final debate of the campaign season.
The hourlong event, organized by the Atlanta Press Club as part of the Loudermilk-Young Debate Series, came as Georgia voters began casting early ballots in a high-stakes midterm race that could help determine party control of the U.S. Senate.
Ruling out 2028 and trading political barbs
“I have zero interest in running for president,” Ossoff said when asked by a moderator about recurring speculation surrounding his national ambitions, as reported by NBC News. The first-term Democrat promised to serve out a complete six-year term if reelected, adding, “I’m not running for president. I’m running for re-election to the Senate.”
Collins dismissed the pledge, predicting that Ossoff would ultimately launch a national campaign and labeling him the “DSA candidate,” an allusion to the Democratic Socialists of America, CBS News reported. Ossoff is not a member of that organization.
Collins sought to portray Ossoff as detached from the state, describing the contest as a battle between “Georgia and Georgetown” and characterizing the incumbent as a “globetrotting trust fund kid,” according to CBS News. In turn, Ossoff pointed out that Collins is the son of former U.S. Rep. Mac Collins, asserting that Washington is crowded with politicians who inherited their paths from their parents.
Clashes over extremism, donors and the 2020 election
The debate featured tense arguments over personal associations and donor ties. Ossoff pressed the Republican lawmaker on social media activity by his son-in-law, accusing Collins of failing to halt the dissemination of neo-Nazi material connected to his family, NBC News reported. Collins answered that he condemns “any sort of hate speech” and noted that he had fired staff members when misconduct occurred, CBS News reported.
Collins responded by pointing to Reid Hoffman, a Silicon Valley investor and prominent Democratic contributor whose name surfaced in Jeffrey Epstein records. Collins pressed Ossoff to disavow Hoffman. Ossoff countered by saying President Donald Trump appeared repeatedly in files related to Epstein, and he criticized Collins for earlier votes that delayed releasing government files on the matter, according to CBS News.
When questioned about the 2020 presidential contest, Collins avoided confirming whether former President Joe Biden won fairly. Asked about Trump’s recorded 2020 phone call urging Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find additional votes, Collins said Georgians paid for Biden entering office, CBS News and NBC News reported.
Foreign policy and the road to November
The contenders also addressed foreign affairs. Ossoff defended his previous Senate vote to restrict select weapons shipments to Israel, maintaining that U.S. arms transfers must align with American statutes and international standards, according to CBS News.
On the prospect of future House-led impeachment efforts against Trump, whose approval ratings stand at historic lows, Ossoff declined to commit in advance to a specific vote. He said he would evaluate any articles sent by the House on their merits while acting as an impartial juror, CBS News reported.
Campaign activity is set to intensify ahead of Election Day. Trump is scheduled to appear at a rally alongside Collins in Whitfield County on Friday, while former Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to campaign with Ossoff later this month, according to CBS News. Ratings from the Cook Political Report and the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics both classify the seat as likely Democratic, with Ossoff maintaining leads in recent polls.
