Georgia’s First Jewish Senator Is Losing Jewish Support
The New York Times
Democratic donors and Jewish leaders are so unhappy with Jon Ossoff over his position on Israel that some have quietly urged Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, to run against him.
Four years ago, Senator Jon Ossoff was sworn in using a book of Hebrew scripture as he proudly became Georgia’s first Jewish senator.
Now, some of his fellow Jewish Democrats have not only turned on him — they are also encouraging the most formidable Republican who could challenge him in next year’s marquee Senate race, Gov. Brian Kemp, to do just that.
“As a bipartisan group of leaders in the metropolitan Atlanta Jewish community, we humbly ask you to consider running for the United States Senate in 2026,” read a private mid-December letter to Mr. Kemp from some of the state’s major political donors and Jewish community leaders, which was reviewed by The New York Times.
“Should you decide to run in the 2026 election,” the letter said, “you would find no better friends, more loyal allies or stronger supporters than us and our community.”
The letter, which came after Mr. Ossoff voted to block certain weapons transfers to Israel and criticized its conduct of the war in Gaza, was a striking rebuke of a senator who has highlighted his Jewish identity and voted for billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel.
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