Sen. Jon Ossoff has repeatedly ruled out a 2028 presidential bid, saying he is focused on his Senate reelection in Georgia against Rep. Mike Collins. His national profile has risen thanks to viral social clips and his appearance in an Emerson College poll that put him at 13% for a potential 2028 Democratic nomination. The Emerson poll also shows Democrats leading Republicans 53% to 42% on Congressional ballots ahead of the 2026 midterms and records public views on Israel aid and local data centers.
Ossoff: "No 2028 Run" — Stays Focused on Georgia as National Profile Grows
Ossoff in 2028? Georgia senator isn't running, he says repeatedly
Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia has repeatedly dismissed speculation that he will run for president in 2028, insisting his full attention remains on his Senate reelection campaign.
Ossoff, a first-term senator, has drawn increased national attention while campaigning against Republican Rep. Mike Collins, a MAGA loyalist and election denier. That attention — and criticism from former President Donald Trump — has raised questions about whether he might be a future presidential contender. Ossoff has pushed back, saying he is focused on Georgia and has "zero interest in running for president in 2028."
On the stump and in Washington: Speaking Sunday night, Ossoff framed Trump as the product of a deeper "rot" in politics that predates any single leader. At a Marietta event last month, Trump mocked Ossoff as "Pinky Herman" (a nod to Pee-wee Herman) and called him a "terrible senator." Ossoff generally declines to respond to personal attacks, choosing instead to criticize Trump on policy areas such as the rising cost of living, U.S. policy on the Iran conflict, and what Ossoff describes as efforts to suppress voters.
Viral moments boost profile: Ossoff has seen a surge in online attention. Clips of his campaign speeches, TV appearances and Senate questioning have gone viral on TikTok, drawing millions of views. One Democratic Party post of Ossoff questioning Pete Hegseth drew more than one million views and spawned comments ranging from "that's MY Senator" to "Ossoff 2028!" and comparisons to other national figures.
Where the polls stand: An Emerson College poll released July 23 included Ossoff on a list of possible 2028 Democratic presidential contenders for the first time. Ossoff polled at 13% among Democrats, trailing Pete Buttigieg (19%) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (17%). That 13% tied him with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and placed him above former Vice President Kamala Harris (8%). The poll was conducted July 19–20, 2026, with a margin of error of ±2.9 percentage points and samples weighted by gender, education, race, age, party registration and region.
At 39, Ossoff is the nation's youngest senator and has been visible in high-profile oversight moments, including questioning intelligence officials at the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s March 18, 2026 hearing on global threats.
Local campaign dynamics: In a July 23 call with reporters, Ossoff criticized his opponent’s record and said it was plausible Rep. Collins avoided appearing with Trump at a Georgia event to spare the former president from answering questions about Collins’ controversies. Collins faces a House ethics investigation and allegations that he associates with and financially supports an online figure accused of promoting white supremacist content.
National context: Even as Ossoff reiterates he has no interest in a 2028 bid, Emerson polling finds Democrats leading Republicans 53% to 42% on Congressional ballots heading into the 2026 midterms. The poll also recorded public sentiment on foreign aid and local infrastructure: 61% of Americans overall said the federal government is spending too much on aid to Israel (85% of Democrats, 31% of Republicans), and opposition to data centers being built near communities rose to 63% in July from 42% in December 2025.
Reporting credit: Irene Wright covers Georgia politics for USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect team.
At 39, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, is the nation's youngest senator and is being floated as a 2028 presidential contender. Look back at his political career in photos.Ossoff questions intelligence leaders during the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s annual hearing examining the annual assessment of worldwide threats to the national security of the United States in Washington, DC, on March 18, 2026.(Josh Morgan, Josh Morgan-USA TODAY via Imagn Images)
Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-GA, left, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, before Supreme Court Associate Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing on March 23, 2022 in Washington. Judge Jackson was nominated by President Joe Biden to replace Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, who plans to retire at the end of the term. If confirmed, Judge Jackson will be the first Black woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court.(Jasper Colt-USA TODAY)
Mildred McClain, executive director of the Harambee House, talks with Senator Jon Ossoff as they walk through the Hudson Hill neighborhood in October 2021.(Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News)
Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff speaks at a campaign stop in Athens, Ga., on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. Ossoff is facing Republican Sen. David Perdue in a Jan. 5, 2021 runoff.(Joshua L. Jones, Athens Banner-Herald USA TODAY NETWORK)
Supporters cheer as US Sen. Jon Ossoff takes the stage during his Rally for Our Republic on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at the Kehoe Iron Works in Savannah, Ga.(Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News)
US Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock embrace as they take the stage together during a presidential campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at the Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta, Ga.(Richard Burkhart/ USA Today Network)
Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) at the Senate Judiciary committee hearing on artificial intelligence and human rights on June 13, 2023 in Washington, D.C.(Jack Gruber, Jack Gruber, Jack Gruber, Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Sen. Jon Ossoff waves to supporters during an election night watch party for Sen. Raphael Warnock in Atlanta Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.(Josh Morgan, USA TODAY NETWORK)
Senator Jon Ossoff listens intently to a supporter during a campaign stop on February 20, 2026 at the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum Priscilla Thomas Annex in in Savannah, Ga.(Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News)
US. Sen. Jon Ossoff during his Rally for Our Republic on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at the Kehoe Iron Works in Savannah, GA.(Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News)
Sen. Jon Ossoff speaks, flanked by Sen. Raphael Warnock, during a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on July 30, 2024, in Atlanta.(Richard Burkhart, Richard Burkhart)
Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga discusses federal resources for 40 Habitat for Humanity 40 homes on May 24, 2023, in Athens, Ga.(Joshua Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Jon Ossoff, left, and Raphael Warnock exchange elbow bumps during a campaign rally in Augusta, Ga., January 4, 2021. Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rafael Warnock are challenging incumbent Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in a runoff election.(Michael Holahan / USA TODAY NETWORK)
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