Though still chasing his first victory, Jon Ossoff is no stranger to the pressure of campaigning in overtime — this time for one of two crucial U.S. Senate seats that will determine control of the chamber.
The experience is like deja vu for the millennial Democrat from Atlanta, who shattered fundraising records and forced his way into a runoff for a U.S. House seat in 2017 that was closely watched as an early referendum on President Donald Trump.
Ossoff ran a formidable campaign even while being mocked by Republicans as a lightweight unqualified to occupy the seat once held by Republican Newt Gingrich. But he ultimately lost, dashing Democrats’ hopes for a win in the early months of the Trump era. Those who felt let down didn’t hold back their criticism: Ossoff’s centrist message failed to inspire progressives. He didn’t attack Republicans hard enough on key issues like health care. He fell short of giving people a clear reason to vote for him.
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