Democratic Senator’s Campaign Touts Praise from Conservative Radio Host: Constituents ‘Can Get Him on the Phone’

AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File

Sen. Jon Ossoff’s (D-GA) campaign found promotional material in an unusual source for a Democrat: conservative radio host Erick Erickson’s show.

Ossoff has served in the U.S. Senate since winning a runoff special election, along with his colleague Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), on Jan. 5, 2021 — one day before the infamous attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.

Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics recently moved its Georgia Senate rating from Leans Democratic to Likely Democratic, noting that while Ossoff was “the only Democrat running for reelection in a state that Donald Trump carried in 2024,” it’s looking increasingly likely he’ll be able to successfully defend his seat.

Ossoff is one of this election cycle’s top fundraisers, has over $42 million cash on hand, and has maintained a solid lead in the polls over his opponent, Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA). Collins has been a far less productive fundraiser and just emerged from a tough primary and runoff, further depleting his funds. Sabato’s analysis described the two Georgians as having “entered the general election in different financial universes.”

The Republican nominee is also facing headwinds from two main sources: the abysmal polling numbers and the GOP, and a scandal involving white nationalist posts by his son-in-law.

But it was good ol’ fashioned constituent services that weighed heavily in the analysis byErickson, a longtime Georgia resident and former Macon city council member.

In a clip from Erickson’s show shared by the Ossoff campaign, the radio host describes how the senator has been effectively communicating with the Georgians he represents.

“His constituent services — he’s learned,” said Erickson. “You talk to farmers in South Georgia, they can get him on the phone. They can get his staff on the phone. They can get help. You talk to Republicans in Houston County — very Republican part of the state — they know they can reach out to Ossoff, and he doesn’t care that they’re Republican. If they need something, he’s going to get it done.”

The Democrat’s campaign shared another clip of Erickson’s assessment of Collins’ campaign messaging strategy as not the right move for the general election.

“The problem we’ve got now in the Senate race for Republicans is that Mike Collins is — he’s run the entire race as MAGA,” said Erickson. “You watch his advertising, still, he’s wrapped himself around Donald Trump. He’s not making a case to the suburban voters, and Jon Ossoff is.”

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