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Ossoff vs. Collins in Georgia US Senate debate: Key moments and polls
Newsweek ^ | 10/8/2026 | Anne Commander

Posted on 10/09/2026 6:13:45 PM PDT by sopo

Democrats are fighting to defend U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff's Georgia seat as Republican challenger Mike Collins faces a difficult path, trailing amid unfavorable polling and a Democratic fundraising advantage.

The two faced off in a debate Thursday evening, clashing over tariffs, taxes, immigration and more.

Ossoff narrowly won his election in 2020, as the race went to a runoff versus David Perdue. Ossoff won by less than 55,000 votes in a spread of 50.61 percent to Perdue's 49.39 percent. President Donald Trump flipped the swing state during the 2024 presidential election versus then-Vice President Kamala Harris. He has also thrown his support behind Collins in the U.S. Senate race.

In the latest survey by Wedgewood Polls, Ossoff leads Collins by 10 percent as prediction markets also show him as the clear favorite. The Cook Political Report rates the races as Likely Democrat.

Newsweek reached out to both Ossoff and Collins' campaigns following the debate for comment Thursday night.

Key Moments from US Senate Debate In Thursday night's debate, the two clashed over key policy platforms like trade, immigration, Trump and more. Below are highlights of the candidates' wrangling for the U.S. Senate seat:

Affordability

Collins was asked about his plan to help make life more affordable for Georgians, saying he wants to continue to be energy independent and export goods out of the port in Savannah.

Ossoff said he'd like to repeal tariffs put in place under the Trump administration, while also bashing the rising cost of diesel and ground beef, saying they are crushing Georgia families. Ossoff also pointed to the ongoing war in Iran that is contributing to the soaring price of gasoline.

(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: collins; debate; georgia; jonossoff; mikecollins; ossoff; senatorjack
Collins beat him up pretty good, though this write up doesn't reflect it. It was combative on a personal level, CFP links to full debate, well worth watching at 2x for content, but you have to see Ossoff at 1x to see how much Republicans might hope for him to carry "the new JFK" label into the general in 2028. He looks like Mr. Lincoln on stage at Disneyland ( the 70's version, they may have improved in meantime). ossoff opened by sayingCollins is on trial for being a bigot, talking about white supremacist posts by Collins' son in law. At one point , O said Collins "employed half the third reich in his office," which would have been grounds for declaring him the loser not too many years ago, before Dems started getting away with it as part of their daily discourse. Collins hit back very hard, citing Hasan Piker's endorsement of O a number of times, quoting Piker's "America deserved 9/11." Blistered him as recipient of Reid Hoffmans' money , brought up Epstein in that regard at least twice. O talked about ICE abuses he's investigated, Collins effectively came back that O and Dems had shut down government to defund ICE for 48 days last year when Georgia farmers needed emergency funding authorization for hurricane relief. O tagged him as supporter of Trump's Iran war, I can't understand why the Republicans don't turn around and call them "Iran Firsters," "Trust Iran first. "
1 posted on 10/09/2026 6:13:45 PM PDT by sopo
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To: sopo

Yeah, Collins was SO EFFECTIVE last night that Fox News in Atlanta had his employment of neo-nazis and KKK supporters in his office as the lead story today. SMH.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/report-collins-campaign-leaders-tied-group-founded-former-kkk-leader


2 posted on 10/09/2026 6:32:48 PM PDT by Bob Wills is still the king (Wake up and smell the coffee!)
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To: sopo

So what is democrat remedy to lower diesel prices?
Or price of beef? Democrats blame cow farts for global warming.


3 posted on 10/09/2026 6:33:09 PM PDT by Bobbyvotes (Work is best form of worship to God.)
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To: Bob Wills is still the king

early deadline? Looks like they had the headline ready beforehand, that pic is not from the debate.


4 posted on 10/09/2026 6:42:13 PM PDT by sopo
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To: Bobbyvotes

Collins tied him to reen new deal.


5 posted on 10/09/2026 6:43:42 PM PDT by sopo
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To: Bob Wills is still the king

Collins should learn not to hire Democrats if he doesn’t want racists in the office.


6 posted on 10/09/2026 6:50:02 PM PDT by Dan in Wichita
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To: sopo

I hope that Assoff gets his ass kicked. Maybe he and Dopey Opie Tallywackoff can get together and be a couple.


7 posted on 10/09/2026 8:12:11 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Since "protesters" are now being paid, protests should be required to have at least 5000 idiots.)
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To: Bob Wills is still the king

riiiiiiiiggggghhhhhhhtttt.......idiocy.


8 posted on 10/09/2026 8:26:53 PM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion.....the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: All

Jon Ossoff lost his first major run for public office before being elected to the U.S. Senate.

In 2017, Ossoff ran and lost in a highly publicized special election for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District to fill a seat vacated by Republican Tom Price.

At just 29 years old, he became a national symbol for the Democratic “anti-Trump resistance,” turning the race into the most expensive House election in U.S. history at the time, with over $50 million spent by both sides.

Despite massive fundraising and drawing national attention to a traditionally safe Republican district, Ossoff lost the June 2017 runoff to Republican Karen Handel by roughly 4 percentage points (52% to 48%).

Ossoff was not a career politician but worked in other fields before his Senate victory:
• Congressional Staffer: He worked five years (2007–2012) as a national security staffer and legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Hank Johnson.
• Documentary Filmmaker: He served as the CEO of Insight TWI, a London-based investigative documentary film company that produced exposes on international corruption and war crimes.

Ossoff leveraged his name recognition and lessons from his 2017 loss to run for the U.S. Senate in 2020. He ultimately defeated Republican incumbent David Perdue in a historic January 2021 runoff election, becoming the first Millennial elected to the Senate.


9 posted on 10/09/2026 11:21:57 PM PDT by Liz (“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies the work of His hands. " (Psalm 19:1))
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To: All

Jon Ossoff lost his first major run for public office before being elected to the U.S. Senate.

In 2017, Ossoff ran and lost in a highly publicized special election for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District to fill a seat vacated by Republican Tom Price.

At just 29 years old, he became a national symbol for the Democratic “anti-Trump resistance,” turning the race into the most expensive House election in U.S. history at the time, with over $50 million spent by both sides.

Despite massive fundraising and drawing national attention to a traditionally safe Republican district, Ossoff lost the June 2017 runoff to Republican Karen Handel by roughly 4 percentage points (52% to 48%).

Ossoff was not a career politician but worked in other fields before his Senate victory:
• Congressional Staffer: He worked five years (2007–2012) as a national security staffer and legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Hank Johnson.
• Documentary Filmmaker: He served as the CEO of Insight TWI, a London-based investigative documentary film company that produced exposes on international corruption and war crimes.

Ossoff leveraged his name recognition and lessons from his 2017 loss to run for the U.S. Senate in 2020. He ultimately defeated Republican incumbent David Perdue in a historic January 2021 runoff election, becoming the first Millennial elected to the Senate.


10 posted on 10/09/2026 11:21:59 PM PDT by Liz (“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies the work of His hands. " (Psalm 19:1))
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To: FlingWingFlyer

**I hope that Assoff gets his ass kicked. Maybe he and Dopey Opie Tallywackoff can get together and be a couple.**

He’s slick just like the rest of them. He asked the questions and was admonished by the moderator. The very next time he asked a question again saying ‘Georgian voters want to know.’ Slick man. Collins didn’t call him on his slickness or say he’s not there to answer ‘YOUR’ questions.

The southern accent of Collins. I prefer them in women.


11 posted on 10/10/2026 5:09:41 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: DIRTYSECRET

This is pissin’ me off. Ossoff keeps asking questions ignoring the moderators admonishment in the beginning. Then called Collins a bigot. Collins sounds like a good ‘ol boy from the south.

Collins-his final statement should be I’m not a bigot asshole!

Collins has a problem with the clock. He ends up pleading for votes. Very weak.


12 posted on 10/10/2026 5:45:03 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: DIRTYSECRET
Collins...ends up pleading for votes. Very weak.

Take-away: which of the two is the least desirable?

13 posted on 10/10/2026 7:15:41 AM PDT by frog in a pot (If your preference is not on the ballot, do yourself a favor and vote against the worst candidate.)
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To: frog in a pot

Reddish state. Republicans will have to carry him over the finish line. They didn’t do it in ‘20 when the democrats took the two of them.


14 posted on 10/10/2026 7:30:49 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: All

You’ll be glad to know, Senator Jon Ossoff is well-financed,

Osoff has received a combined $772,493 from foreign agents.

Ossoff’s rolling in thousands of campaign dollars from “J Street”-——
and similar PACS officially registered as foreign agents.


See all campaign donations to US Congressional candidates
——by state ......from PACS registered as foreign agents.

trackAIPAC.com
web site


15 posted on 10/12/2026 4:08:26 AM PDT by Liz (“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies the work of His hands. " (Psalm 19:1))
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