Democrat Jon Ossoff eyes 2028 presidential bid as he holds Georgia Senate seat

DEMOCRAT JON OSSOFF, seen as a possible candidate in the 2028 presidential election, has romped to victory in Georgia according to US media networks. 

All the major US news outlets called the race in Ossoff’s favour over Republican Mike Collins within about an hour of polls closing. 

Ossoff had been seen as a potential weak spot when he first scraped his Senate win in 2020 in an unexpected victory for the Democrats in the southern state. However since then, he has shored up his support and is now considered a candidate for the 2028 election. 

Ossoff has gained attention in this election campaign for his direct attacks on Donald Trump and made headlines internationally when he suggested that Trump would rather “travel with Natalie” than do his job, in a reference to White House aide Natalie Harp. 

That reference proved controversial even among some Democrat supporters but catapulted Ossoff to a different level of attention that has him among the favourites to be the Democrats’ White House candidate.  

Barack Obama was in Atlanta last week to support Ossoff, where the senator’s rolled-up shirt sleeves and youthful vibe have drawn comparisons to the 65-year-old former president.

Speaking tonight after his result became clear, Ossoff said that victories by his party in the midterm elections represented a rejection of Trump by Americans.

“In sweeping and decisive victories, the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption and incompetence of the failed lame duck President Donald J. Trump,” Ossoff said.

In Pennsylvania, another potential 2028 candidate also predicted to easily win re-election for the Democrats is Josh Shapiro. 

Shapiro is the popular governor of the battleground state and was considered by 2024 candidate Kamala Harris as a potential running mate before she chose Tim Walz.

Trump won Pennsylvania on his return to the White House and Shapiro is considered a strong contender who would almost certainly carry the state in any White House bid.