Jon Ossoff is the Democratic senior U.S. senator from Georgia — and right now he's one of the most-searched politicians in America. The reason: a new Fox News poll, reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, shows Ossoff leading his Republican challenger, Rep. Mike Collins, by 13 points (56% to 43%) in Georgia's 2026 Senate race, with Democrats also ahead in the state's gubernatorial contest. At the same time, Ossoff is leading a group of Senate Democrats demanding answers from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over denied military promotions, according to Punchbowl News. Here's who he is, who he's running against, and why people keep asking about 2028.
Who Is Jon Ossoff?
Thomas Jonathan Ossoff, born February 16, 1987, in Atlanta, has represented Georgia in the U.S. Senate since January 2021. When he defeated Republican incumbent David Perdue in the historic January 2021 runoff — the race that, along with Raphael Warnock's win, flipped control of the Senate to Democrats — he became, at 33, the youngest sitting U.S. senator and the first millennial elected to the chamber.
Before politics, Ossoff was an investigative documentary filmmaker, serving as managing director of a production company whose films exposed corruption and war crimes. He studied at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, earned a master's degree from the London School of Economics, and worked as a national security staffer for Rep. Hank Johnson. He first drew national attention in a closely watched 2017 special election for Georgia's 6th Congressional District, which he narrowly lost before winning his Senate seat four years later.
Who Is Jon Ossoff Running Against in 2026?
Ossoff's Republican opponent is Rep. Mike Collins, a trucking company owner and congressman from Georgia's 10th District. Collins won the GOP Senate primary runoff with about 55.5% of the vote after receiving President Donald Trump's endorsement, defeating former college football coach Derek Dooley, who was backed by Gov. Brian Kemp, per NBC News.
The stakes are high: Ossoff is the only Democratic senator running for re-election in a state Trump carried in 2024, making Georgia one of the most watched races of the midterms. The new Fox News poll — conducted June 23-27 among 1,002 registered Georgia voters (margin of error ±3 points) — found Ossoff at 56% to Collins' 43%. Per the poll, Ossoff leads with Black voters (87%), voters under 30 (68%), independents (68%), and moderates (66%). Analysts on both sides caution these early margins will likely tighten as the campaigns ramp up. It's part of a broader battle for the Senate map in 2026 — see our Graham Platner explainer for another race drawing national attention.
Who Is Jon Ossoff's Wife? Inside His Personal Life
Ossoff is married to Dr. Alisha Kramer, a physician who completed her medical training at Emory University in Atlanta. The two met as students, dated for over a decade, and married in 2017. They have two daughters, born in December 2021 and June 2025. Kramer has largely kept a low public profile, though Ossoff has frequently cited her medical work when discussing healthcare policy on the campaign trail.
Religion, Net Worth, and Approval Rating
- Religion: Ossoff is Jewish — he became the first Jewish senator elected from Georgia, and reports have noted he was the first Jewish senator from the Deep South since the 1800s.
- Net worth: Estimates based on congressional financial disclosures, including from Quiver Quantitative, put Ossoff's net worth at roughly $3.2 million as of mid-2026.
- Approval rating: An Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll conducted in late April found Ossoff with 89% job approval among Georgia Democrats and about 20% among Republicans — a sharply partisan split typical of a battleground-state incumbent.
The Hegseth Fight: Denied Military Promotions
Beyond the campaign, Ossoff is leading seven Senate Democrats pressing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the "criteria, process, and authorities" used to deny a series of recent military promotions, according to Punchbowl News. The letter asks what legal authority Hegseth used, whether any reasons beyond performance or conduct were involved, and requests a demographic breakdown — amid reporting from NBC News and others that Hegseth intervened in promotions of more than a dozen senior officers, including Black and female officers. The senators wrote that promotions must follow "the principle of a professional, apolitical military."
Is Jon Ossoff Running in 2028?
Not according to Ossoff. After a widely shared Atlanta rally speech went viral, CNN described him as a "2026 — and maybe 2028 — Democratic viral hit," and prediction markets like Polymarket have priced him at roughly a 9% chance of winning the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, behind names like Gavin Newsom. But Ossoff has flatly dismissed the chatter, saying he has no interest in a 2028 run and that all attention should be on 2026. First, he has to win Georgia again — a result that would itself reshape that conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is Jon Ossoff?
Jon Ossoff is Georgia's Democratic senior U.S. senator, elected in the January 2021 runoff at age 33 — the youngest sitting senator at the time. A former investigative documentary producer, he is the first Jewish senator elected from Georgia and is running for re-election in 2026.
Who is Jon Ossoff running against?
Republican Rep. Mike Collins, who won Georgia's GOP primary runoff with President Trump's endorsement. A Fox News poll conducted June 23-27 shows Ossoff leading Collins 56% to 43%.
Who is Jon Ossoff's wife?
Dr. Alisha Kramer, a physician who trained at Emory University in Atlanta. They married in 2017 and have two daughters, born in December 2021 and June 2025.
Is Jon Ossoff running for president in 2028?
He says no. Despite viral speeches and prediction markets giving him roughly a 9% chance at the Democratic nomination, Ossoff has said he has zero interest in 2028 and is focused entirely on his 2026 re-election race.
