Republicans diverted resources while polls suggested Ossoff held a solid lead

BBC News reported that exit polls showed affordability was the top issue for many Georgia voters, and that Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff made the rising cost of living a central theme of his re-election campaign. BBC News also reported that polls suggesting Ossoff held a solid lead accompanied a diversion of Republican resources from Georgia to other contests. CBS News projected Ossoff would defeat Republican challenger Mike Collins, a result BBC News reported was not unexpected, though Republicans had hoped for a more competitive race.

Ossoff’s messaging on the campaign trail focused on the economy and voter concerns about affordability, BBC News reported. He often criticized Collins, who is currently serving in the US House of Representatives, for voting to support Donald Trump’s tariffs, which the report said have been linked to rising inflation.

Republican challenger Mike Collins blamed the rising cost of living on former President Joe Biden and defended his support for Trump’s war in Iran, BBC News reported. Ossoff portrayed his opponent as loyal to Donald Trump, whom he described as a “failed president.”

BBC News described Ossoff as a rising star in the Democratic Party. Brian Kemp, Georgia’s term-limited Republican governor, was the favored candidate to run against Ossoff but declined, the outlet reported.

The outlet reported that political pundits suspected Kemp had avoided running because he was wary of Ossoff’s rising star power. Rumors swirled that Ossoff could be mulling a run for president in 2028, BBC News reported. Throughout his campaign, Ossoff downplayed the rumors, saying on multiple occasions that he had “zero interest” in a presidential bid.

BBC News said the projected win could ramp up speculation about his 2028 plans and described the Georgia Democrat as a potential leading contender if he threw his hat in the ring.

CBS News reported that the projected victory pushed the crucial swing state deeper into Democratic control. Georgia had previously voted reliably red for decades, BBC News noted. Donald Trump won the state in 2024, after Joe Biden eked out a narrow victory there in 2020.

The Georgia race was one of the first major contests projected as part of the midterms on Tuesday, BBC News reported. The outlet said the midterms “will shape the rest of Donald Trump’s presidency” and that the outcome will determine which party — Trump’s Republicans or opposition Democrats — controls Congress.

BBC News also wrote that “An easy win by Ossoff in Georgia could portend a good night for Democrats, though it’s still too early to know.”

Daniel Bush contributed to the BBC News report.