Newly reelected, Jon Ossoff should stay in the Senate for the next six years
Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s commanding win on Election Day cements his place as a political superstar.
The downballot results, including the historic win by Keisha Lance Bottoms for governor, open up all sorts of options for him.
Now that he’s won, though, he should commit to serving out his six-year term where he can focus on continuing to do the work of constituent services that won over Republican voters, be a check and balance on the White House, and show a path forward toward instilling trust in the American democratic system.
His seniority in a new Senate Democratic majority will allow him to be more effective in serving the citizens of the Peach State.
He says he is not interested in running for president in 2028 despite how much political pundits and supporters would like him to vie for the White House. He could change his mind, but a presidential campaign — which would effectively begin soon after the midterm elections — would take his attention away from the tasks voters reelected him to accomplish.
And at 39, he still has quite a bit of runway given that presidents have been elected between the ages of 43 (John F. Kennedy) and 78 (Donald Trump).
Ossoff can be a check on Trump’s excesses
In his television ads, Ossoff painted himself as fighter of bullies and defender of ordinary Georgians who are unable to afford gas or healthcare.
He also campaigned against a culture of corruption under Trump. Democrats will be in a position to investigate the extent of those claims.
Two years ago, political observers saw Ossoff as vulnerable in a state that President Donald Trump lost in 2020 and won in 2024.
The tide turned in part because of his ability to electrify the masses with hard-hitting rhetoric and to show a pattern of serving ordinary Georgians in urban and rural areas, whether it was after Hurricane Helene or to resolve a local problem, regardless of their political affiliation. He has crossed the aisle multiple times to sponsor legislation with Republicans, such as the Mystic Alerts Act to strengthen emergency alerts, with Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn.
In 2021, Ossoff narrowly won his runoff against former Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue and since then he has built tremendous political capital that will benefit citizens.
He is even more empowered to hold the Trump administration accountable for its excesses and the president’s toxic rhetoric.
He’s not too young to be a Senate leader
Ossoff is also in a position to assume a leadership post in the Senate.
A listener of the AJC’s Politically Georgia podcast asked the hosts on Monday’s show if the senator might seek to unseat unpopular Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York.
While Schumer had a successful night and there are many other senators who might want his job, it’s not unprecedented for a second-term senator to become party leader.
In 2002, former Republican Tennessee U.S. Sen. Bill Frist was elected as majority leader after nearly eight years in the Senate. That, of course, came after former Leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, made some controversial comments lauding the late segregationist South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond.
Those were unusual circumstances, but Schumer’s poor ratings and a potential primary challenge against him in 2028 could open the door to a new leader.
Citizens are eager to see a new generation of leaders take over from elder statesmen. Schumer is 75, and as mentioned earlier, Ossoff is 36 years younger.
In any event, Ossoff is positioned to succeed the New York Democrat eventually, if he so desires.
More important than a leadership position is that Ossoff remain as consistently disciplined and hyperfocused on improving the lives of ordinary Georgians, regardless of political party.
Americans voted with their feet because they are tired of the War on Iran, skyrocketing prices and politicians who ignore the concerns of working families.
Ossoff has an incredibly bright future ahead.
David Plazas is the AJC’s opinion editor. Email him at david.plazas@ajc.com.
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The opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.