Latest news with #Ossoff
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
GOP Georgia Senate candidate targets vulnerable Jon Ossoff in ad depicting transgender 'fan'
FIRST ON FOX: House Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., is taking aim at Georgia's senior senator in a new ad highlighting the vulnerable Democrat's stance on transgender student athletes. Carter, who is running for Senate, is releasing a 30-second advertisement titled, "Ossoff Fan," which features a purported transgender woman complaining about Carter's own Republican stances. It opens by showing a transgender woman, played by a stubble-chinned biological male wearing a wig and a dress, sitting in a living room beside a dumbbell watching Carter on Fox News. "He's been MAGA from the beginning," the person says on the phone. "He's been loyal to Trump, defended him during impeachment." The person on the other line says, "And Buddy helped Trump at the border with deportations." House Gop Targets Another Dem Official Accused Of Blocking Ice Amid Delaney Hall Fallout The transgender person picks up a trophy and says, "And preventing people like me from competing in women's sports. Buddy Carter even believes there's only two genders." Read On The Fox News App "Now Buddy wants to help Trump in the Senate and beat Jon Ossoff," the individual says. "It's just not fair." Meanwhile, the voice on the phone quips, "After all Ossoff has done for us!" The ad ends with the transgender person picking up a sign with pink lettering that says, "Ossoff for Senate," putting on a pair of wedge sandals, and stomping to their car. The short but punchy advertisement signals that Republicans still believe the debate surrounding transgender inclusion is a potent issue for turning out voters in favor of the GOP. It proved to be a key issue in the 2024 general election, with moderate Democrats spending weeks after the fact decrying their own party's intolerance to differing views. Ossoff is a first-term lawmaker who was the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the Peach State in roughly two decades. Republicans now view Ossoff's seat as one of the most viable flip opportunities in the upcoming 2026 midterm cycle, when the GOP hopes to keep and expand upon its thin majority in the upper chamber. Carter was the first Republican to jump into the contest after Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who was considered a heavy favorite to run against Ossoff, opted to forgo a Senate bid. Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King is also running in the race as a Republican. Ossoff joined with all other Democratic senators to filibuster the bill from Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt, both Alabama Republicans, in March, effectively killing the legislation after it advanced out of the House earlier this year. Their bill, called the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, is designed to bar transgender athletes from participating in federally funded school athletics at all levels, from elementary school to college. It would amend Title IX to make it a violation for any school athletic program that receives federal funding to allow a biological male to participate in sports or activities that are meant for women or girls, and defines a person's sex by their reproductive biology and genetics at birth. Meet The Trump-picked Lawmakers Giving Speaker Johnson A Full House Gop Conference The measure is similar to an executive order from President Donald Trump in February that argued that the participation of biological men in women's and girls' sports was "demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports." Ossoff campaign communications director Ellie Dougherty argued in a statement after this report was published that athletic associations and local school districts could ensure fair and safe competition in school athletics, and accused the GOP's bill of threatening to usher in "extremely intrusive" federal investigations of children's bodies. "American parents don't need federal bureaucrats confirming our children's genitalia," Dougherty said. The Carter campaign's ad is also not the first time in the early days of the looming midterm cycle that the vulnerable senator has been targeted for his vote against the measure. One Nation, a nonprofit advocacy group closely aligned with Senate Republican leadership, ran an ad last month that accused Ossoff of "running point for the radical left" with his vote to block the men in women's sports bill. Fox News Digital reached out to Ossoff's campaign for comment on Carter's ad but did not hear back by press article source: GOP Georgia Senate candidate targets vulnerable Jon Ossoff in ad depicting transgender 'fan'
Axios
5 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Scoop: Senate Dems reintroduce stock trading ban for Congress
A group of Senate Democrats on Thursday will re-introduce a bill to ban stock trading by members of Congress and their families, Axios has learned. Why it matters: President Trump last month endorsed the idea, breathing new life into a push that has found only dead ends on Capitol Hill over the last few years. Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), facing the toughest reelection fight for the party next year, and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) will introduce their Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act on Thursday, according to sources familiar with their plans. The idea is incredibly popular with voters: 86% of registered voters support banning lawmakers from trading individual stocks, according to a 2023 poll from the University of Maryland. Multiple studies have shown that member of Congress outperform the market on average, raising questions about corruption. The big picture: Progress has stalled on the stock trading ban after a bipartisan group of senators reached a deal last year to move forward with the legislation. Trump told TIME in April that he would "absolutely" sign a congressional stock trading ban if it made it to his desk. Senate Republicans have introduced their own stock trading ban, called the Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments Act — also known as the PELOSI Act. Between the lines: Ossoff and Kelly's bill would require members of Congress, their spouses and dependent children to place their stocks into a blind trust or divest the holdings. The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) Both Ossoff and Kelly have placed their portfolios in blind trusts. "Stock trading by members of Congress massively erodes public confidence in Congress and creates a serious appearance of impropriety, which is why we should ban stock trading by members of Congress altogether," Ossoff said in a statement.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Jon Ossoff Edges Out All But One Republican in New Georgia Senate Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia, a Democrat, fares better than all but one of his Republican rivals heading into the 2026 midterms, when he will have to defend his seat from challengers. Why It Matters Republicans hold a slender majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, meaning they must win any and all seats up for grabs if they hope to more effecitvely push through their agenda without needing to rely on reconciliation. Republicans view Georgia, which narrowly supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as a major opportunity to make one such gain. The state has grown increasingly purple over the most recent elections: Senator Marjorie Taylor Green, a Republican, has already seen poor polling that could indicate Republican hardline politics may have limited appeal in what could be an incredibly contentious and tightly run midterm competition. What To Know According to polling data from polling and analytics firm Cygnal, Ossoff beats his closest republican rivals with some healthy margins. Only Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia Secretary of State, poses a considerable threat from the Republicans—unless Georgia Governor Brian Kemp decides to join the race. Raffensperger scored a statistical tie against Ossoff in the polling, and other potential rivals, including Kelly Loeffler, who previously ran against Ossoff and lost despite Trump's backing, fell outside of the margin of error, which Cygnal identified as plus or minus 3.4 percent. One potential stumbling block for Ossoff is Mike Collins, one of the current representatives from Georgia, who is behind Ossoff by only 2.5 points, putting him within the margin of error but outside of a statistical tie, such as the case of Raffensperger. While Cygnal did not poll Kemp versus Ossoff, the data showed that Kemp has an overwhelmingly positive net favorability: Kemp has a net favorability of over 25 percent compared to Ossoff's 7.7 percent. However, Cygnal found that between 11 and 13 percent of respondents were undecided, leaving much room for either side to gain an advantage as the midterms draw closer. Notably, when asked about a generic U.S. Senate ballot and whether the election was held today, would the respondents vote for a republican or Democrat, the republican came out ahead 48 percent to 44 percent. U.S. Sen. John Ossoff (D-GA) speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris at the Georgia State Convocation Center on July 30, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. U.S. Sen. John Ossoff (D-GA) speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris at the Georgia State Convocation Center on July 30, 2024 in Atlanta, Cygnal poll surveyed 800 Georgia voters, all of whom voted in the 2024 general election, and was conducted between May 15 and 17 of this year. Interviews were conducted over phone calls and text. Cygnal works with many Republican campaigns and groups, including the Republican Attorneys General, the Republican Senate Campaign Committee, and several governors, including Kemp and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, according to the firm's website. The polls also identified inflation in the economy as a potential top concern for voters going into next year's midterms, followed by threats to democracy, illegal immigration and border security, Social Security and Medicare, and government spending and waste. Half of all respondents said that they found that Georgia was going in the right direction while just over one-third said that the state was on the wrong track. What People Are Saying GOP operative Stephen Lawson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "If Brian Kemp runs for the U.S. Senate, Brian Kemp will be the next U.S. Senator from Georgia. "But if he takes a pass, Republicans should be much more judicious about who the nominee is, given the uncertain political environment and the fact that Jon Ossoff has proven he will be a formidable opponent." What Happens Next The midterm elections will take place on November 3, 2026, during which time Ossoff's seat will be up for grabs.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Ossoff demands federal probe into racist texts targeting Georgia youth
The Brief Sen. Jon Ossoff is urging a federal investigation into racist and threatening texts sent to Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ youth in Georgia. Ossoff's letter to the U.S. Attorney General and FBI Director highlights the need to identify those behind the coordinated hate campaign. Victims, including minors, received texts with racist threats, causing fear and trauma among families. ATLANTA - U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is renewing calls for a federal investigation into a wave of racist and threatening text messages sent to Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ youth across Georgia, including minors as young as 14. SEE ALSO: Georgia residents reporting disturbing racist messages before, after election What they're saying In a letter sent this week to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Neal Patel, Ossoff urged both agencies to redouble their efforts to identify those responsible for what he described as a coordinated and sophisticated campaign of hate. "I write to follow up on my previous December 2024 request that the Department of Justice fully investigate the racist mass text campaign that targeted Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ Georgians, including children, in November 2024," Ossoff wrote. "According to subsequent reporting, the texts may have been the result of a coordinated, sophisticated attack. In light of that reporting, I ask that you redouble your investigatory efforts to identify the perpetrators of this hateful campaign and hold them accountable." The backstory FOX 5 Atlanta previously reported that one text told a Black recipient they had been "selected to pick cotton" and warned of consequences for noncompliance. Families of victims described being frightened and traumatized. What we know Ossoff initially urged the Biden Administration to investigate the messages shortly after they surfaced in late 2024. He is urging the same of the Trump administration. The Source The details and quotes were provided to FOX 5 Atlanta by Sen. Jon Ossoff's office.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Mistreatment and abuse': Ossoff steps up heat on corporate landlords as investigation continues
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff continued his investigation into corporate landlords on Tuesday, saying he has heard stories of 'mistreatment and abuse.' Ossoff launched his investigation earlier this month. Atlanta is a hot spot for corporate landlords. These owners are often national corporations that own more than 50 homes in the metro area. 'As part of this investigation, my staff has interviewed more than 160 witnesses and sources,' Ossoff said. 'Georgians have reported to my office being charged undisclosed junk fees, being charged for maintenance and repair.' Last week, Ossoff focused on the results of a recent study by Georgia State Professor Taylor Shelton that found corporate landlords now own 30% of all single-family rental homes in the metro area. Shelton told Channel 2's Michael Doudna that three corporations own nearly 38,000 homes in the Greater Atlanta metro area. 'This is ultimately unlike anything we have ever seen before in American history,' Shelton said. 'And so that means that these companies are able to get away with a lot more than they would otherwise because there's no competition.' TRENDING STORIES: 'It just smelled funny': Uber drivers unwittingly used as drug mules in metro Atlanta Cobb Co. teacher, wife accused of denying their children food and bathroom, confining them Parents sue after they say 6-year-old daughter was racially attacked at school: 'It's disturbing' On Tuesday, Ossoff was flanked by two renters who shared their horror stories with the media. Shana Brooks Wilhite said her problems began in early December, when her stove and fireplace were leaking carbon monoxide. 'So, I immediately just opened all of the doors, all the windows, and I panicked because I'm like, 'I know it can kill you,'' Brooks-Wilhite said. The gas company turned off the gas line that night. However, when she went to her corporate landlord to fix the problem, they said the earliest appointment she could have was three weeks later. 'I just told you I had a carbon monoxide leak in my house. And she was like, 'That's all we have,'' Brooks-Wilhite said. According to a Georgia Tech study, which Channel 2 Action News covered last year, landlords owning more than 50 homes in the metro area were four to five times more likely to have code complaints than rental homes owned by a single individual. Doudna asked Ossoff when he expects this investigation to turn into legislation, but he didn't have a firm timeline.
