Ossoff doubles down on anti-corruption message in reelection bid

Today’s newsletter highlights:

• Mike Collins weighs in on 2020 election.
• A Rick Jackson endorsement.
• Farewell to Martha Zoller.

Watchdog Ossoff

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff waves to the crowd at a campaign rally in Savannah on Saturday. (Sarah Peacock for the AJC)

Jon Ossoff won a Senate seat six years ago by making corruption the defining issue. His first general election TV ad released Tuesday morning suggests he’s sticking with a similar playbook.

The Democrat’s spot doesn’t mention Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins. Instead, it highlights Ossoff’s bipartisan investigation into abuse in Georgia’s foster care system and legislation combating child sex trafficking.

“Every child should be safe,” Ossoff says in the ad, which closes with an image of him and his wife Alisha playing with their two daughters.

It’s familiar terrain for Ossoff. His first general election ad in 2020 against David Perdue centered on his work as an investigative journalist exposing corruption. This time, he’s making a broader argument that he’s a watchdog who has challenged powerful institutions.

The new six-figure buy will air on broadcast television, streaming and digital platforms. And it’s a sign that Ossoff is ready to dip into an account topping $31 million to spend aggressively against Collins, who only had roughly $1.3 million in ad support throughout the entire primary and runoff campaign.

Things to know

Gov. Brian Kemp speaks during the signing of numerous bills at the Capitol in April. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Good morning! Here are two things to know for today:

• The U.S. Supreme Court will issue its final rulings of the 2025 term. Still pending is the highly anticipated decision on whether President Donald Trump can end birthright citizenship through executive order.
• The high court is also expected to decide whether states can ban transgender athletes from competing in girls and women’s school sports. The case stems from prohibitions in Idaho and West Virginia. But Georgia is among the more than two dozen stats that have a similar ban that could be impacted.

Collins on 2020: ‘Trump won’

U.S. Rep. Mike Collins celebrates with supporters at his watch party in Jackson earlier this month. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

No state seems as stuck in 2020 politics as Georgia. And Collins just offered the latest reminder.

Pressed by CNN’s Manu Raju on Capitol Hill on the outcome, the Trump-backed Collins didn’t distance himself an iota from the president’s false claims about widespread election fraud.

“Trump won that race, yes,” he said. “And we’re going to make sure in 2026 that we send Jon Ossoff home.”

The comments themselves weren’t a surprise. Collins aired a 2022 campaign ad calling the 2020 election a “federal hijacking.”

But as he pivots to a statewide race against Ossoff, he’s sometimes been more careful about how he talks about it.

Just two days before the Republican runoff, we asked Collins about the 2020 election.

“2020 was legitimately rigged,” Collins said. “And the reason I say that is because you don’t change the rules halfway through the game … We’ve moved on to 2026.”

We then asked how he planned to counter Democrats’ efforts to label him an election denier.

“I’m not worried about that,” Collins replied. “I’m going to defeat Jon Ossoff comparing resume to resume, what he’s done for the people of this state versus what I’ve been able to do, what he stands for versus what I stand for.”

Ossoff, meanwhile, previewed in a social media post how he’ll deploy that argument in the November race:

“Mike Collins, currently under federal investigation for illegal misuse of tax dollars, opens 2026 General Election campaign in Georgia by insisting Trump won 2020 election.”

Trained up

Democratic Party of Georgia chair Charlie Bailey has been involved in politics since college as part of the Young Democrats of the University of Georgia. (AJC 2022)

Georgia Democrats are trying to turn a burst of statewide momentum into down-ballot gains.

The National Democratic Training Committee held a campaign training in Atlanta on Saturday with the Democratic Party of Georgia, drawing 50 candidates for a full-day session focused on legislative and local races.

Among the attendees were state Senate candidate Darcy Castro and state House candidates Teresa Lin and Michelle Kang, who are all running in competitive districts.

Democratic Party of Georgia chair Charlie Bailey told the candidates that winning in November will require “strong, organized, prepared campaigns at every level of the ballot.”

Jackson action

Republican nominee for governor Rick Jackson, center, speaks with supporters at a campaign event in Doraville last week. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Most Georgia Senate Republicans are following Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ lead and withholding their endorsements from Republican nominee for governor Rick Jackson so far.

Not state Sen. Jason Dickerson.

The Republican, who won his Cherokee County-based seat last year, posted a video Monday endorsing Jackson and urging donors to give $26 to his campaign.

That puts Dickerson apart from most of his caucus in the Senate, whose members were among Jones’ strongest supporters and have largely held back from formally backing Jackson after a brutal primary that many took personally.

Lisa Cook spared — for now

Lisa Cook, member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, participates in a roundtable discussion at Spelman College in 2023. (Bita Honarvar for the AJC)

Georgia native Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the Federal Reserve Board, can keep her job for now.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s efforts to fire Cook had not given her due process or met the standard of “for cause” necessary for the independent monetary policy board. The ruling was 5-4 with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joining the three liberal justices.

The justices in their ruling made clear that nothing prevents Trump from continuing his attempts to fire Cook, but that she cannot be removed while legal challenges are pending.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that he will indeed keep trying to have her removed.

Saying goodbye

Martha Zoller, a longtime conservative talk show host out of Gainesville, died at age 67 days before she had planned to retire from her morning radio show on 102.9/550 WDUN-FM. (Courtesy of WDUN)

Family and friends of Martha Zoller gathered in Gainesville Monday to say goodbye to the longtime conservative radio host, who died last week.

Mourners included Jackson, former Gov. Nathan Deal, former state Sen. Butch Miller, Zoller’s fellow panelists from the “Georgia Gang,” and plenty of the VIP’s Zoller used to grill on her daily WDUN radio program, but often share a meal with after the show.

The common theme among the eulogies was Zoller’s unique talent for making and keeping friends across any political divide, as evidenced by the hundreds of people who came to pay their respects.

Listen up

Former Atlanta Journal-Constitution publisher Andrew Morse speaks during an event at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in February 2025. (Nathan Posner for the AJC)

Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast, former Atlanta Journal-Constitution publisher Andrew Morse joins the show to talk about his time at the AJC, the always-changing media landscape, and the advice he’d give to anyone who cares about local journalism.

You can listen and subscribe to “Politically Georgia” for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube 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

• Trump will host a dinner at the White House.
• The House will vote on a war powers resolution directing the military to pull back from Lebanon.
• The Senate is out this week.
• U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-New Jersey, is scheduled to deliver a floor speech explaining his nearly four-month long absence and unexplained health condition.

Winner

Mableton city manager Bill Tanks, center, speaks with law enforcement officers during a Veterans Job Fair at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in September 2022. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Congratulations to Bill Tanks, Mableton’s first city manager, who has been named 2026 national city manager of the year by GOV Business Review.