Bipartisan deal to end government shutdown tests Jon Ossoff’s resolve
Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Government funding proposal doesn’t extend health insurance subsidies.
- Brian Kemp-backed ad angers Republicans.
- Georgia voters OK dozens of property tax relief proposals.
Ossoff’s vote
The U.S. Senate reached a deal Sunday that would end the longest federal government shutdown in history. But they’ve done it without most Democrats, including Georgia U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Ossoff’s decision makes him vulnerable to GOP attacks while pleasing the donors he needs to pay for what will likely be the nation’s toughest reelection campaign. He’s the only incumbent Democratic U.S. senator on the ballot next year in a state won by President Donald Trump, making him the top target of Republicans looking preserve their majority.
It’s why Republicans have focused much of their criticism of the shutdown on Ossoff, who has steadfastly stood with Senate Democrats by insisting any bill to reopen the government must include an extension of federal health care subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
But Sunday, eight Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to advance a bill that would temporarily fund the government through the end of January. Ossoff and fellow Georgia Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock both voted against a procedural motion to advance the bill — one of multiple votes the duo has cast against Republican-backed proposals to reopen the government.
“Even when members of his own party chose to do the right thing and reopen the government, Sen. Ossoff did what Schumer told him to. Georgians won’t forget next November!” Republican Gov. Brian Kemp posted on X.
Ossoff and Warnock both voted against advancing the proposal because they said it would double premiums for the 1.4 million Georgians who purchase their health insurance through the state’s online marketplace.
“With health care votes ahead, the question is whether Republicans in Congress will join us to prevent catastrophic increases in health insurance premiums,” Ossoff said.
Things to know
Good morning! We’re 63 days away from the start of the Georgia Legislative session. Meanwhile, we’re 190 days away from the primary for the midterm elections for U.S. Senate, statewide constitutional offices and the General Assembly.
Here are three other things to know for today:
- More than 130 flights have been canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport today as the federal government shutdown enters Day 41, the AJC’s Kelly Yamanouchi reports.
- As Georgia lawmakers mull eliminating the state’s income tax, the AJC’s David Wickert looks at how other states have done it by relying on higher sales tax rates.
- DeKalb County commissioners are poised to reup a contract with an ambulance service despite a history of troubles, the AJC’s Asia Simone Burns reports.
Here’s the deal
It will likely take several days and more procedural votes, but Congress appears on track to reopen the government later this week. There could still be changes to the proposal that would affect how many votes it receives in each chamber, but here is what the proposal includes in its current form:
- Funding most government agencies through the end of January.
- Back pay to furloughed federal workers.
- A reversal of layoffs during the shutdown and limit future mass layoffs.
- Full year funding for Veterans Affairs, military construction and agriculture, including money to pay for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
- A promise by Senate Republicans to hold a separate vote by mid-December on a Democrat-led bill to extend health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
Eight Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to advance the proposal. They said it was time to end the government shutdown even if means taking a risk by delaying the conversation on health care costs.
“The American people will see who stands with them on health care and who does not, and that will be the platform of the next stage of the fight,” U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, said. “I hope we can find bipartisan agreement on an extension of those premium tax credits.”
Hassan is among the Democrats who negotiated the deal. But there are no promises that bill will pass, and even if it does, House Speaker Mike Johnson has made no assurances the legislation will make it to the floor in his chamber.
House Democrats are already indicating they will not support the plan.
“Republicans are forcing us to choose between keeping healthcare costs low, feeding hungry children, and paying our dedicated federal workers. For me, it’s a false choice,” U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, wrote on X. “It’s a NO on any bill that does not address the Republican health care crisis.”
Ad fallout
Rarely has a 15-second digital ad triggered this much friction among Republicans.
But that’s the fallout from a pro-Derek Dooley U.S. Senate spot from Gov. Brian Kemp’s political network that blamed “career politicians” for the federal government shutdown — lumping Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Republican U.S. Reps. Buddy Carter and Mike Collins in the same frame.
Axios reported over the weekend that the ad infuriated U.S. Senate GOP leadership. It also irked local Republicans.
U.S. Rep. Austin Scott of Tifton, a close ally of both GOP lawmakers, called the ad “stupid” in three ways: “It was a stupid ad, it was stupid to spend money supporting the Democrats’ fake shutdown narrative, and it was stupid to violate the rules, which I think they did when they put another candidate in the ad.”
Dooley allies pushed back, saying both the governor and the Senate hopeful have kept their target squarely on Ossoff through the shutdown fight. And they note the “unity” critique rings hollow given Collins was attacking Dooley before he even entered the race.
Tea leaves
The biggest takeaway from last week’s elections has been the success of Democrats’ affordability message heading into 2026. But a closer look at the results shows voters are also sending signals to state lawmakers about tax policy.
Voters across dozens of counties and cities approved measures aimed at lowering property taxes, either by raising sales taxes or expanding a homestead exemption for seniors.
Of the 74 measures we counted on ballots across the state, only four failed as voters in Floyd, Paulding, Union and Ware counties refused to trade a higher sales tax for lower property taxes.
The votes correspond with a new AJC poll showing a majority of likely Democratic and Republican primary voters would, if they had the choice, prefer a property tax cut instead of eliminating the state income tax.
Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones has built his campaign for governor around phasing out Georgia’s income tax.
But House Speaker Jon Burns has signaled his preference for property tax relief. And Jones’ two top GOP rivals, Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, have also backed limits on property taxes.
Mysterious tests
Far-right groups are vowing to appeal a county judge’s ruling that eviscerated the Catoosa County GOP’s attempt to bar four Republicans from running for local office under the party’s banner.
Alex Johnson of the Georgia Republican Assembly, who represented the Catoosa GOP, said he’ll argue that local parties should have the right to “enforce their platform on behalf of busy citizens and not be forced by government to cover for insider wealthy interests deceiving voters.”
Meanwhile, Catoosa County GOP Chair Joanna Hildreth sent out a fundraising plea urging supporters to “stand up and reject control of the party by career politicians who don’t support Republican values.”
The judge’s ruling last week barred the local GOP from using a “mysterious Star Chamber-like” system that allowed 16 committee members to decide who could qualify as a Republican.
Listen up
Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast we answer a host of listener questions about why members of Congress continue to be paid during the federal government shutdown and Gov. Brian Kemp’s reasoning for not using state funds to backfill food stamp benefits.
You can listen and subscribe to Politically Georgia for free an Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have a question or comment for the show? Email us at politicallygeorgia@ajc.com or give us a call at 770-810-5297 and you could be featured on a future episode.
Today in Washington
- President Donald Trump will meet at the White House with President Ahmad al-Sharaa of Syria.
- The House is in recess.
- The Senate will continue consideration of a plan to end the shutdown and fund the government through January.
Shoutouts
Today’s birthdays:
- State Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell.
- Brad Vaughan, chief of staff and general counsel to Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.
Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that. Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.
Before you go
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, recently took an Amtrak train home to Georgia because of flight cancellations during the government shutdown. “The sweetest people run the train,” she said.
That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.
About the Authors
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
Patricia Murphy is the AJC's senior political columnist. She was previously a nationally syndicated columnist for CQ Roll Call, national political reporter for the Daily Beast and Politics Daily, and wrote for The Washington Post and Garden & Gun. She graduated from Vanderbilt and holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
More Stories
The Latest
