U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff doesn’t have a Republican challenger yet, but his bid for another term in 2026 is well underway. That’s evident in the weeks following November’s presidential election as the first-term lawmaker navigates two developments that set the stage for a tough campaign ahead.

The first was a vote backing a pair of failed resolutions to limit U.S. weapons sales to Israel that exposed deep rifts among Jewish leaders in Georgia and drew barbs from the rabbi of Ossoff’s childhood synagogue.

The second involves Ossoff’s behind-the-scenes effort to oust Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Nikema Williams after Donald Trump recaptured the state, a nasty internal fight that upset some of Williams’ backers who say he mishandled the situation but laid the path for her to step down.

Both point to Ossoff’s task shoring up two important constituencies — Jewish voters and party insiders — in a state that’s tilted further toward the right since he and Raphael Warnock won U.S. Senate runoffs in January 2021 weeks after Joe Biden’s narrow victory.

The GOP has stormed back since those heady Democratic days. Republicans won every statewide office save for Warnock’s reelection in the 2022 midterms, and Trump notched a comfortable win to put Georgia back in the red column in November.

Ossoff has largely tried to hover above the partisan back-and-forth during his first four years in office, preferring to focus more on passing bipartisan infrastructure measures, realizing the fruits of green energy policies and bringing more oversight to the criminal justice system.

But even if he avoids the cable news fray — his allies like to say he’s more likely to be in Moultrie than on MSNBC — he’s on a collision course with Republicans hungry to pick up a seat during what could be an otherwise challenging midterm cycle.

When U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (left) runs for reelection in 2026, he could face Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who cannot seek another term in the Governor's Mansion. (AJC file photos)

Credit: AJC

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Credit: AJC

Already, the Republican Jewish Coalition said ousting Georgia’s first Jewish U.S. senator will be its “top priority” in 2026. State and national Republicans are working to recruit Gov. Brian Kemp, who can’t seek a third term in 2026, to challenge the Democrat.

Ossoff’s critics and allies alike acknowledge any developments now could have a muted impact in 2026, when the blitz of the Trump-driven news cycle could render controversies and maneuvering distant memories. Republicans undoubtedly see Ossoff as a formidable contender.

But they each highlight Ossoff’s challenge in piecing together the fragile coalition that helped elect him four years ago in anticipation of a tough Republican challenge — from Kemp or whoever enters the fray.

“For four years we have been laying the groundwork and are already building the most effective, the most massive and the best resourced effort to empower an overwhelming and victorious coalition in 2026,” Ossoff said in an interview.

He added: “This will be the biggest and most effective turnout effort in the history of Georgia politics.”

‘The world kept turning’

The crosscurrents Ossoff faces came into clearer view in November when he joined Warnock and more than a dozen other Democrats to back a pair of Senate measures that would have blocked sales of mortar rounds and tank ammunition to Israel amid its war with Hamas.

About 50 Atlanta establishment Jewish institutions slammed Ossoff and Warnock for supporting U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ push to limit “Israel’s ability to vanquish enemies that seek not only its defeat but destruction.”

Anat Sultan-Dadon, the Israeli consul general in Atlanta, called their vote “deeply concerning.” And the rabbi of The Temple, the Atlanta synagogue where Ossoff earned his bar mitzvah, joined other clergy who said the two showed “indifference to the pro-Israel community while granting approval to fringe voices.”

Anat Sultan-Dadon, Israel's consul general in Atlanta, expressed deep concern over votes by Georgia's two U.S. senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, to block sales of mortar rounds and tank ammunition to Israel amid its war with Hamas. More than 100 Jewish Georgians, however, signed a letter saying the votes helped advance “regional stability, security and peace.” (Steve Schaefer for the AJC 2021)

Credit: Steve Schaefer

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Credit: Steve Schaefer

Their view was far from universal. Some African American leaders praised Ossoff’s stance, signaling that his position may resonate more with Black voters who dominate the Democratic electorate in Georgia.

And more than 100 Jewish Georgians penned a letter that said Ossoff has “repeatedly stood by Israel in its right to defend itself” and said the vote to restrict arms sales helped advance “regional stability, security and peace.”

“We’re so lucky to have him as a senator. He knows the issues upside down and backward and forward,” said Joe Sterling, a member of the centrist pro-Israel group J Street who signed the letter. “I want my senator to work across the aisle to develop policies like these — someone who can compromise.”

Ossoff defended his vote in a U.S. Senate floor speech that invoked former Republican President Ronald Reagan’s decision to block the sale of cluster-type artillery shells to Israel in 1982 to protect innocent lives.

“And Israel, faced by President Reagan’s ultimatum, adjusted its policy to accommodate America’s demand. The United States remained Israel’s closest ally, and the world kept turning,” Ossoff said.

Though Reagan’s initiative was not a “perfect mirror image,” Ossoff added, a vote to block the arms sales could have sent Israeli leaders a potent message he said has so far been disregarded.

“Yes, defend yourself. Yes, defeat your enemies,” he said. “But have mercy for the innocent, restrain your own extremists and respect the interests of the United States.”

‘Patch things up’

The other major Ossoff maneuver came more quietly as the Democrat exerted his influence to try to depose Williams as the state party’s leader before her term as chair expires in 2027.

Officials say Ossoff pressured Williams to stand down in a phone call the day after the Nov. 5 election, raising concerns about her double-duty roles as a U.S. House member and chair of the state party.

Williams relayed to friends details of that conversation, saying Ossoff privately told her he lacked confidence in her leadership. Prominent donors, elected officials and activists voiced similar concerns in public.

Some complained about dysfunctional party efforts to mobilize voters and marshal resources. Others said the party chair should be a full-time, paid role filled by a senior strategist or former elected official who can commit to the job on a permanent basis.

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (right) has drawn some flak from supporters of U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (center) after he maneuvered to remove her as chair of the state Democratic Party. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

Credit: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

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Credit: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Ossoff has declined to publicly denounce Williams but pointedly attended a recent party meeting where activists discussed changes to the bylaws that could set the stage for her resignation. Though she remains the party’s chair, Williams could step down within weeks.

Though few senior Democrats have sided with Williams, some have taken issue with Ossoff’s intervention. Newly minted Georgia House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley said she’s “very disappointed” by Ossoff’s role in the internal squabble.

“I think this could have been handled professionally, but there’s no excuse in my opinion for a U.S. senator to behave in this way and to challenge her in the way that she has been challenged,” said Hugley, a Columbus Democrat.

Alan Abramowitz, an Emory University political scientist, said other factors will have far greater influence on Ossoff’s reelection bid — namely, whether Kemp enters the race and how Georgia voters view a second Trump administration by the midterm.

Still, he said, Ossoff has work ahead to shore up his support with the two groups who helped propel his 2021 victory.

“He’s got to patch up relations with the Jewish community, which I suspect is more divided on this issue than appears. And he’s got to patch things up with party leaders,” Abramowitz said. “And he’s got limited time to do that.”

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff has work left to do to gain reelection, Emory University political scientist Alan Abramowitz said, including patching up a rift within the state's Jewish community and uniting the state's Democratic Party after he moved to change its leadership. "He’s got limited time to do that," Abramowitz said. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

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Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com