Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia introduced early Monday that he pulled in a jaw-dropping $11 million within the first quarter of 2025, which his staff says is the most important ever Q1 haul for an incumbent senator throughout an off 12 months.
“I’m grateful to the hundreds of thousands of record-shattering supporters who have already joined what will be the biggest and most relentless turnout effort in Georgia history,” Ossoff stated in an announcement.
Ossoff’s marketing campaign says the $11 million got here from a mean donation of simply $32, with contributions rolling in from 156 of Georgia’s 159 counties. Practically 260,000 particular person donors chipped in, together with 155,000 first-timers.
That’s a critical flex for somebody who doesn’t even have an opponent but.
The announcement dropped simply days after the Senate GOP’s high outdoors political operation launched a seven-figure advert blitz in opposition to Ossoff—utilizing drained, transphobic speaking factors in a bid to show voters in opposition to him.
“Man-to-man defense isn’t woke enough of Ossoff. He’s for they/them,” the advert, which aired throughout a number of the weekend’s largest sporting occasions, sneered.
However as Republicans double down on their bigotry, Ossoff is gearing up for a struggle, with the $11 million haul doubtless simply the opening salvo. For context, the 2022 Senate race in Georgia—the place Democrat Raphael Warnock narrowly defeated Republican Herschel Walker—turned the costliest Senate contest of the cycle.
What’s working to Ossoff’s benefit is his confirmed potential to rake in large quantities of money throughout aggressive election years. In 2020, Ossoff raised greater than $21 million in a single quarter in his race to unseat Republican Sen. David Perdue—setting a fundraising report for Senate elections within the state.
Thus far, no main GOP challengers have stepped as much as problem Ossoff. Whereas just a few Republicans have made noise about operating, most appear to be conserving their powder dry till Gov. Brian Kemp decides whether or not he’ll run.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has additionally hinted that she would possibly throw her hat within the ring. However regardless of who finally ends up leaping in, Ossoff’s monster fundraising haul is already sufficient to provide any would-be challenger pause.
Georgia is one in all simply two “toss-up” Senate races Democrats will likely be defending in 2026. The opposite is Michigan, the place Sen. Gary Peters is retiring. Republicans are eyeing Georgia after Trump carried the state by practically two factors in 2024, however Ossoff has already kicked off campaigning with a rally in Atlanta with Warnock in late March.
With Republicans operating cringe-worthy adverts greater than a 12 months earlier than the election, although, it’s clear who’s actually feeling the warmth. And the GOP ought to be sweating. Whereas Ossoff is raking in tens of millions with no named opponent, Trump’s tanking the financial system, largely with GOP help.
Notably, Ossoff wasn’t the one Democrat reporting spectacular Q1 numbers.
In Virginia, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger raised $6.7 million in her gubernatorial bid in opposition to Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.
In the meantime, in Colorado’s eighth District, Democrat Manny Rutinel—who simply launched his marketing campaign in late January—pulled in additional than $1 million in what’s anticipated to be probably the most fiercely contested Home races of the 12 months.
If the off-year fundraising is already this fierce, Republicans would possibly wish to begin investing in some umbrellas—a blue wave could possibly be on the horizon.
