Jon Ossoff

Jon Ossoff
Official portrait, 2021
Jon Ossoff
Born	Thomas Jonathan Ossoff 16 2, 1987
Birthplace	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, filmmaker
Known for	Youngest U.S. senator elected since 1980; first millennial U.S. senator
Education	Georgetown University (BS) London School of Economics (MS)
Children	2
Website	[https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/ Official site]

Thomas Jonathan Ossoff (born February 16, 1987) is an American politician and filmmaker serving as the senior United States senator from Georgia since January 20, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Ossoff defeated incumbent Republican senator David Perdue in a January 2021 runoff election, becoming the youngest member of the United States Senate elected since Don Nickles in 1980 and the first millennial United States senator. Together with Raphael Warnock, who was elected on the same day, Ossoff became one of the first Democrats to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate since Zell Miller left office in 2005. Before entering elected office, Ossoff worked as a national security staffer and legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Hank Johnson and later served as the managing director of an investigative production company that partnered with journalists to document corruption in foreign countries. His first bid for elected office came in 2017, when he ran in the special election for Georgia's 6th congressional district, a race that drew national attention and record-breaking spending but ultimately ended in a narrow defeat. In the Senate, Ossoff has focused on government accountability, public safety, and constituent services across Georgia.

Early Life

Thomas Jonathan Ossoff was born on February 16, 1987, in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up in the Atlanta metropolitan area, a region that would later become central to his political career. Ossoff was raised in a family with roots in both the Jewish and Australian communities; his father is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and his mother is an immigrant from Australia.

Growing up in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Ossoff developed an early interest in politics and public service. As a teenager, he interned for U.S. Representative John Lewis, the iconic civil rights leader who represented Georgia's 5th congressional district. This formative experience exposed Ossoff to the workings of Congress and the legacy of the civil rights movement in Georgia, shaping his later career trajectory.

Ossoff's upbringing in the Atlanta suburbs placed him in close proximity to Georgia's 6th congressional district, the affluent, historically Republican-leaning district that would become the site of his first major political campaign in 2017. The district, which encompassed portions of suburban Atlanta including parts of Cobb County, Fulton County, and DeKalb County, had been represented by Republicans for decades, most notably by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

Education

Ossoff attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. His time at Georgetown provided him with a foundation in government and international affairs, subjects that would inform both his early career in congressional staff work and his later work in investigative journalism.

After completing his undergraduate studies and gaining several years of professional experience, Ossoff pursued graduate education at the London School of Economics (LSE) in the United Kingdom, where he earned a Master of Science degree. His graduate studies further deepened his expertise in international affairs and policy analysis.

Career

Congressional Staff Work

After completing his undergraduate education at Georgetown University, Ossoff began his professional career on Capitol Hill. He joined the office of U.S. Representative Hank Johnson, a Democrat representing Georgia's 4th congressional district, where he served as a national security staffer and legislative assistant. In this role, Ossoff worked on issues related to national defense and foreign policy, gaining firsthand experience in the legislative process and constituent services. His time working for Johnson provided him with an understanding of congressional operations that would later inform both his campaign strategies and his approach to governance.

Investigative Filmmaking

Following his time on Capitol Hill, Ossoff transitioned into the media and investigative journalism sector. He became the managing director and chief executive of Insight TWI, a London-based investigative production company that partnered with journalists and reporters to produce documentaries exposing corruption, organized crime, and human rights abuses in foreign countries. Under Ossoff's leadership, the company produced investigative content that aired on international news networks and documented malfeasance in various nations.

This work took Ossoff to conflict zones and countries with significant governance challenges, where the company's investigative teams worked to bring transparency to issues of corruption and abuse of power. His experience in investigative filmmaking became a notable element of his political biography, distinguishing him from many other candidates and providing him with a professional background centered on accountability and transparency.

2017 Georgia 6th District Special Election

Ossoff's first foray into electoral politics came in 2017, when he entered the special election for Georgia's 6th congressional district. The seat had been vacated by Tom Price, who resigned to serve as United States Secretary of Health and Human Services in the administration of President Donald Trump. The district had been considered a reliably Republican stronghold for decades; the Cook Political Report had long rated it as safely Republican.

The race quickly attracted national attention as a potential bellwether for the political environment under the Trump administration. Democrats saw an opportunity to flip a seat in an educated, suburban district where Trump's approval ratings were lower than traditional Republican margins, while Republicans viewed the race as a critical test of their ability to hold ground in the early months of the Trump presidency.

Ossoff emerged as the leading Democratic candidate in the race, running on a platform that emphasized fiscal responsibility, government accountability, and opposition to cuts in healthcare. His campaign generated significant grassroots enthusiasm and fundraising, drawing contributions from across the country. The Washington Post reported that the race exposed tensions within the Republican Party over its identity and direction under Trump.

The special election proceeded in two stages. In the initial "jungle primary" held on April 18, 2017, all candidates from both parties competed on a single ballot. Ossoff received the most votes of any candidate but fell just short of the 50 percent threshold needed to win outright, necessitating a runoff election against the top Republican vote-getter, Karen Handel.

The runoff election, held on June 20, 2017, became the most expensive U.S. House race in history at the time, with combined spending by both campaigns and outside groups exceeding $50 million. The race drew intense media coverage and was widely viewed as a referendum on the early months of the Trump presidency. Republican candidate Karen Handel, who had initially kept some distance from Trump, increasingly embraced the president as the runoff approached.

Ossoff ultimately lost the runoff to Handel. The New York Times analyzed the result, noting that despite strong Democratic turnout, it was not sufficient to overcome the district's inherent Republican lean. Nevertheless, the narrow margin of the result in what had been a deeply Republican district signaled shifting political dynamics in suburban areas that would play out in subsequent elections. The Wall Street Journal reported that the race exposed divisions among Democrats about campaign strategy and messaging even as party enthusiasm remained high.

The 2017 special election, while a defeat for Ossoff, established him as a prominent figure in Georgia Democratic politics and demonstrated the potential for Democratic competitiveness in the state's suburban areas — a trend that would prove consequential in the 2020 elections.

2020 U.S. Senate Election

In 2020, Ossoff entered the race for the U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Republican senator David Perdue. The general election on November 3, 2020, did not produce a winner with more than 50 percent of the vote, as required by Georgia law, triggering a runoff election held on January 5, 2021. The Georgia Senate runoffs — both Ossoff's race against Perdue and Raphael Warnock's race against incumbent Republican senator Kelly Loeffler — attracted enormous national attention, as the outcomes would determine control of the United States Senate.

Ossoff defeated Perdue in the January 5, 2021, runoff election, and along with Warnock's victory over Loeffler, the results gave Democrats a 50–50 split in the Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as the tiebreaking vote. Ossoff was sworn into office on January 20, 2021.

At 33 years old at the time of his election, Ossoff became the youngest U.S. senator elected since Don Nickles of Oklahoma in 1980 and the first senator born in the 1980s. He was also the first millennial to serve in the United States Senate. Together with Warnock, they became the first Democrats to represent Georgia in the Senate since Zell Miller departed in January 2005.

Senate Tenure

In the Senate, Ossoff has focused on several legislative priorities, including government accountability, public safety, economic development, and constituent services for Georgians. He has served on multiple Senate committees and has introduced legislation aimed at addressing issues ranging from ethics reform to infrastructure investment in Georgia.

As of 2026, Ossoff has been active in delivering federal resources to Georgia communities. In February 2026, his office announced efforts to deliver resources to help solve crimes in Fulton County, working across party lines to secure support for the initiative. He has also advocated for the reversal of federal funding cuts to Hispanic-Serving Institutions, joining colleagues in urging the Department of Education to restore those funds.

Ossoff's office has also provided direct constituent services, including working to connect Georgians stranded in Mexico with relevant State Department personnel and resources.

In February 2026, Ossoff conducted a campaign swing through Georgia, making stops in communities across the state, including Dublin and Savannah. During his Savannah stop, he discussed federal budget items he had secured to benefit the city. He has characterized his approach to the Senate as focused on constituent service rather than national media attention, telling the Courier Herald during a visit to Dublin that "most of what an effective Senate office does" is centered on direct service to constituents.

Ossoff has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration during Trump's second term. In February 2026, he described Trump as a "symptom of a deeper disease in our society" while pushing back against what he characterized as political corruption. At a rally in February 2026, he framed Republicans as representatives of a "wealthy, ruling class," drawing a contrast with his own policy priorities.

Personal Life

Ossoff married Alisha Kramer, an obstetrician-gynecologist who completed her residency at Emory University School of Medicine. The couple has two children. Ossoff and Kramer reside in Georgia.

Ossoff is Jewish, and his father is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. His mother is an immigrant from Australia. He has spoken publicly about his family's multicultural background and its influence on his worldview.

During the 2017 special election, the fact that Ossoff did not reside within the boundaries of Georgia's 6th congressional district became a point of discussion in the campaign. Ossoff explained at the time that he lived just outside the district in order to be near Kramer, who was then completing her medical training at Emory University.

Recognition

Ossoff's 2017 special election campaign brought him to national prominence and was the subject of extensive media coverage. The New Yorker profiled him during the campaign, examining his background and the broader political dynamics of the race in Georgia's 6th congressional district. The race itself was described by The New York Times as the most expensive House election in American history at the time, a distinction that reflected both the national stakes attributed to the contest and the unprecedented levels of grassroots and institutional fundraising it generated.

His election to the Senate in 2021 further cemented his place in political history. As the youngest senator elected since 1980 and the first millennial senator, Ossoff's victory was seen as emblematic of generational change in American politics. His joint victory with Raphael Warnock in the January 2021 Georgia runoff elections, which determined control of the U.S. Senate, received extensive coverage from national and international media outlets.

Ossoff's Senate career has been documented by C-SPAN, the Federal Election Commission, and numerous Georgia and national media organizations. His official activities, floor speeches, and committee appearances are archived by C-SPAN. His campaign finance records are publicly available through the Federal Election Commission.

Legacy

Ossoff's political career, though still in its early stages, has intersected with several significant developments in American and Georgia politics. His 2017 special election campaign, while unsuccessful, is credited with highlighting the growing competitiveness of suburban districts that had previously been considered safe Republican territory. The narrow margin of his loss in Georgia's 6th district foreshadowed the broader suburban shift toward Democrats that became apparent in the 2018 midterm elections and continued through the 2020 election cycle.

His 2021 Senate victory, alongside that of Raphael Warnock, marked a historic turning point for Georgia politics. The dual Democratic victories ended a sixteen-year period of exclusive Republican representation of Georgia in the Senate and handed Democrats control of the chamber. The Georgia runoffs demonstrated the state's emergence as a competitive battleground in national elections, a status that had been building for years as the state's demographic and political landscape evolved.

As the first millennial U.S. senator, Ossoff's election represented a generational milestone. His career trajectory — from congressional staffer to investigative filmmaker to senator — reflected a pathway to political office that differed from the traditional routes taken by many of his Senate colleagues. His emphasis on accountability and transparency, themes drawn from his background in investigative journalism, have been consistent threads in both his campaign messaging and his legislative priorities.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has noted how issues such as impeachment reshaped Georgia politics during Ossoff's rise, further contributing to the political environment that enabled his eventual election to the Senate.