Georgia Republican mayors endorse Democrat Jon Ossoff over GOP challenger Mike Collins
Mayors of Valdosta and Tifton, both Republicans, have publicly backed Democrat Jon Ossoff in the Georgia Senate race, citing his support for local projects.
Republican mayors from Georgia’s deep-red south, Valdosta’s Scott James Matheson and Tifton’s Julie Smith, announced they will support Democrat Jon Ossoff in the upcoming Senate contest, despite their party ties. Both officials praised Ossoff for securing federal money for local institutions such as the University of Georgia’s regional campus, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Tift Regional Medical Center, and for being responsive to constituent needs.
Matheson, who hosts a conservative radio show, described his relationship with Ossoff as evolving from a tense first meeting to a productive partnership. Smith emphasized that Ossoff’s willingness to engage directly with local leaders outweighs partisan considerations. Their endorsements bolster Ossoff’s narrative of bipartisan appeal, especially as an AARP poll shows him ahead by nine points and the Cook Political Report rates the race as leaning Democratic. The move also highlights a split within the state’s GOP, which continues to rally behind Collins with President Donald Trump’s support.
Why it matters
The endorsements illustrate cross-party cooperation and could influence the tightly contested Georgia Senate race.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report that two Republican mayors in deep-red Georgia are endorsing Democrat Jon Ossoff, emphasizing his constituent service and bipartisan appeal, with only minor wording differences.
LEFT
Left-leaning coverage frames the endorsements as a surprising break from party loyalty, highlighting Ossoff’s effective constituent services and the unexpected but valuable relationship with the mayors.
RIGHT
Right-leaning coverage frames the endorsements as evidence of Ossoff’s bipartisan appeal, stressing his delivery of federal funds and the mayors’ willingness to prioritize local engagement over party lines.
The left emphasises
- broken with party’s typical alignment
- effective constituent services
- unexpected but valuable relationship
The right emphasises
- bipartisan appeal
- secured federal money for local institutions
- willingness to engage outweighs partisan considerations
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