Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is projected to have won re-election in Georgia, defeating Republican congressman Mike Collins in one of the most closely watched races of the 2026 US midterm elections.
The Associated Press called the Georgia race for Ossoff on Tuesday 3 November. Reuters and CBS News also reported his projected victory over Collins, who had been endorsed by President Donald Trump.
The result means Democrats retain an existing Senate seat rather than gain one from Republicans. It also denies Republicans an opportunity to unseat a Democratic incumbent in a state that supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Why the Georgia result matters
Georgia has been a closely contested state in recent national elections. Trump carried it by roughly two percentage points in 2024, yet Ossoff was the only Democratic senator seeking re-election this year in a state Trump had won.
Ossoff first entered the Senate after winning a January 2021 runoff election. Alongside fellow Democrat Raphael Warnock, his victory helped change control of the Senate at the start of Joe Biden’s presidency.
The 2026 contest attracted national attention because Republicans saw Georgia as a possible route to strengthening their Senate majority. Ossoff’s projected win keeps the seat in Democratic hands for another six-year term.
Who did Ossoff defeat?
Mike Collins has represented Georgia in the US House of Representatives since 2023. He secured the Republican Senate nomination after a contested primary and June runoff, and received Trump’s endorsement.
During the campaign, Ossoff criticised the Trump administration and argued that Collins was too closely aligned with the president. Collins portrayed Ossoff as too liberal for Georgia and questioned whether he was sufficiently focused on the state’s interests.
Does the result decide control of the Senate?
No. Republicans entered election day holding 53 seats in the 100-member chamber, while Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them held 47. Democrats needed a net gain of four seats to reach a 51-seat majority.
Holding Georgia is important to those calculations, but this one result does not establish which party will control the next Senate. Other races are being counted separately.
For the wider election timetable, key contests and an explanation of what is at stake, read our 2026 US midterm election guide.
When will the result be official?
Election-night race calls are projections made by news organisations using reported votes and estimates of outstanding ballots. They are not the same as a certified result. Georgia election officials must complete the count and certification process before the final totals become official.
Readers can follow the Georgia Secretary of State’s election results for official updates. We have not included a final vote tally while counting and certification remain incomplete.
