Carter Becomes First Major GOP Candidate to Challenge Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026
Georgia Republican Congressman Buddy Carter has officially entered the 2026 U.S. Senate race, setting up what’s expected to be a closely watched and highly competitive contest for the seat currently held by Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Carter, a six-term congressman from Georgia’s coastal 1st District, announced his candidacy Thursday with a campaign ad positioning himself as a strong ally of former President Donald Trump and a firm advocate of the “America First” agenda.
“Last November, Georgia spoke, but Jon Ossoff doesn’t care,” the Carter ad declares. “He fought against President Trump securing our border, and voted for men in girls sports. Jon Ossoff is on the wrong side. Trump has a warrior in Buddy Carter.”
The announcement comes just days after Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, widely seen as a potential frontrunner, said he would not enter the Senate race. Carter is the first established Republican to officially launch a campaign.
Longtime Public Servant With a Conservative Record
Carter has represented Georgia’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Savannah and much of the southeastern coast, since 2015. Prior to his time in Congress, he served for a decade in the Georgia General Assembly. In Washington, Carter serves on the House Budget Committee as well as the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee.
His campaign is expected to focus on issues central to the Republican base, including border security, economic growth, and social issues that have been front and center in recent debates nationwide.
A Crowded Primary Field Likely Ahead
Carter’s entry into the race could be just the beginning of what analysts predict will be a wide-open Republican primary. Among other Republicans expressing interest are Rep. Mike Collins of Jackson, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Rome, and Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King.
Observers note that with Kemp out of the running, the path is now open for multiple candidates to stake their claim for the nomination.
Emory University political scientist Andra Gillespie said Carter’s early announcement is a calculated move aimed at building name recognition before the field becomes more crowded.
“Carter will look to appeal to Trump supporters without polarizing a segment of voters who like another potential candidate such as Greene,” Gillespie said. She added that Georgia remains a competitive battleground: “The 2024 presidential election also reflected what is probably still the norm of Georgia in that the state probably still leans Republican.”
Democrats Respond, Framing Race Around Trump
Ossoff’s campaign downplayed the significance of Carter’s announcement, framing it as part of a Republican effort to outmaneuver each other in a race for Donald Trump’s endorsement.
“Sen. Ossoff will defeat any challenger,” said Ellen Foster, Ossoff’s campaign manager. “While the GOP primary field scrambles to outmaneuver each other and audition for Donald Trump’s support, Senator Ossoff’s campaign is already building the most effective and unstoppable turnout effort in Georgia’s history.”
Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman Charlie Bailey criticized Carter’s alignment with Trump, predicting that it will weigh down his campaign.
“Buddy Carter jumping out of the gate as a self-described ‘MAGA warrior’ only means that over the next eighteen months he will have to own Donald Trump’s tariffs that are increasing costs for Georgia businesses and families, Medicaid cuts, anti-abortion extremism, devastating budget cuts hitting seniors, veterans, and kids, and so much more,” Bailey said.
“Georgia Republicans are clearly heading towards a messy, chaotic, and disastrous primary,” he added.
2026 Senate Race Seen as a Bellwether
Political analysts say the Georgia Senate race will serve as a key indicator of where the state’s political alignment is heading following closely fought elections in 2020 and 2022.
“If we look at 2022 in the other statewide races, it looked like Georgia was coming back to equilibrium with Republicans winning, albeit by single digit margin,” said Gillespie. “But when Raphael Warnock won over Herschel Walker, it reinforced the idea that Georgia has become competitive enough that if the Republican candidate is really problematic Democrats have a shot at winning.”
At the University of Georgia, political science professor Charles Bullock said any Republican nominee will likely narrow the polling gap with Ossoff, but matching Kemp’s popularity won’t be easy.
“What Kemp’s term as governor has shown is that people approve of the job he’s done, and therefore he attracts large numbers of independents and even some Democrats,” Bullock said. “So it doesn’t mean that other Republicans couldn’t do that, but they’ve got to work a lot harder to get there.”
Bullock added that Democrats appear ready to make the 2026 race a referendum on Trump.
“How much of a vulnerability that proves to be in a general election will in part depend upon what the state of the economy is,” he said.
Looking Ahead
With Carter now officially in the race, Georgia’s political spotlight shifts toward the emerging Republican field and whether any other high-profile candidates will jump in. For now, the path to unseating Jon Ossoff begins with winning the GOP base, and winning over the growing number of independent voters across the state.
The primary election is expected to take shape in early 2026, but the campaign battle lines are already being drawn.
