Jeff Flake Endorses Jon Ossoff in Georgia Senate Race as Polls Show 52%-43% Lead
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 4
Jeff Flake Endorses Jon Ossoff in Georgia Senate Race as Polls Show 52%-43% Lead
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 4
Summary
Jeff Flake, the former Republican senator from Arizona, endorsed Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff in Georgia, saying “character matters” and arguing the Senate needs someone who will protect the institution.
Flake said he still disagrees with Ossoff on policy but cast Mike Collins as too extreme, citing his refusal to acknowledge the 2020 election and warning he would be a rubber stamp for President Trump.
Ossoff seized on the endorsement by calling Collins a “scandal-plagued Trump puppet and bigot,” while Collins is already facing a House ethics investigation over alleged misuse of taxpayer funds.
Polling has reinforced Ossoff’s advantage: AARP found him ahead 52% to 43% among likely voters, and a late-June Fox News poll put him at 56%, with older swing voters seen as key.
Flake’s backing adds to a small but notable conservative crossover trend in the race after Atlanta radio host Shelley Wynter also endorsed Ossoff despite his broader support for Republican candidates.