Ossoff and Bottoms fire up Democratic voters at Atlanta rally
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Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) hold their hands in the air following a rally at the Tabernacle in Downtown Atlanta on Sunday, May 31. Photo: Kristal Dixon/Axios
U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms came together Sunday to convince voters that party unity is Democrats' best shot at winning in November.
Why it matters: Sunday's rally was the first joint appearance by the pair, who are banking on the surge of Democratic voter turnout in the May 19 primary to lead to a victory on Nov. 3.
The latest: Bottoms is seeking to become Georgia's first Democratic governor in more than 20 years while Ossoff is running to keep a seat the Republican Party sees as one of their best pickup opportunities to maintain their majority.
Driving the news: The rally, held at The Tabernacle in Downtown Atlanta, was standing room only in a venue that can hold up to 2,200 people.
- Pastor Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church introduced Ossoff while Lincoln Bottoms introduced her mother.
What they're saying: Both candidates criticized Republicans at the state and federal level for refusing to expand Medicaid and not responding effectively to the rising costs of health care, gas prices, groceries and utilities.
- Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor who pulled off a surprise primary election win by avoiding a runoff, said she's been asked if she'd rather run against Lt. Gov. Burt Jones or billionaire Rick Jackson.
- The two men, who are on the June 16 GOP primary runoff ballot for the governor's race, are "one in the same" who see President Trump's policies as a "playbook," Bottoms said.
- "So, while we may have to sit through another two and a half weeks of their attacks on one another, and even me, we already know we're running against Trump's do-boys," she said.
Zoom in: The two candidates seeking to unseat Ossoff — U.S. Rep. Mike Collins and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley — are on the Republican Senate primary runoff ballot.
- Ossoff said both candidates are "already mired in scandal."
- Collins was investigated earlier this year by the House Ethics Committee for allegedly using taxpayer dollars to pay an intern who was dating his chief of staff, but did not perform any duties. At a debate with Dooley on Sunday, Collins called the probe a "nothing burger."
- Ossoff referenced an article by 11Alive which reported that a security company owned by Dooley's brother, Daniel, who is reportedly Kemp's childhood friend, received millions in contracts from local school systems.
- "They're both corrupt political insiders, and they're both pro-war, pro-tariff, and pro cutting your health care," Ossoff said. "They're both Trump puppets, and we'll beat either one of them in November."
State of play: Ossoff is the only Senate Democrat running for reelection in a state that Trump won in 2024, according to the AP.
What's next: Early voting for the June 16 runoff election begins June 8.