Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff’s campaign, which he has framed as a grassroots movement, has been scrutinized for its heavy dependence on out-of-state donations. According to recent FEC filings released this month, more than 80% of the funds Ossoff raised during the third quarter originated from donors in states other than Georgia—particularly California, New York, and the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region. While the campaign’s press release highlights its reliance on small-dollar contributions averaging $36 from approximately 233,000 donors, critics argue that the financial underpinning of the campaign is far from grassroots. Much of the funding appears to come from well-established donor networks in the northeastern and West Coast regions, raising questions about the political influence of these external contributors on a race in a state that Trump won by a narrow margin in 2024.
The campaign’s financial strategy underscores a broader trend in modern election politics, where candidates often rely on national donor networks to fund their campaigns, sometimes at the expense of local grassroots mobilization. Ossoff, who first entered Congress in 2021 after a razor-thin victory over Republican Senator David Perdue, has previously demonstrated a similar reliance on out-of-state money. According to records from the Washington Free Beacon, 60% of his funds during his first election cycle came from outside Georgia, a pattern that has since continued. In the latest filing, California led in donations, contributing roughly 20% of the total, followed by New York and Georgia itself. However, when it comes to donors who have reached the maximum contribution limit, the pattern remains consistent: over 33% of those maxed-out donors came from California, while New York and Massachusetts contributed another 15.65% and 10.8%, respectively. Georgia, in contrast, represented only 6.1% of such maxed-out donors, highlighting the campaign’s continued dependence on non-local financial support.
The financial backdrop of Ossoff’s campaign has also taken on added significance with the entry of Rep. Doug Dooley, a Republican candidate who has openly aligned with former President Donald Trump. Dooley, who has previously supported Trump’s stance on issues like border control and economic policy, has taken aim at Ossoff, framing his re-election as a potential threat to Georgia’s Senate seat. This has raised questions about the impact of such high-profile political endorsements on Ossoff’s fundraising and strategy. Meanwhile, GOP strategists argue that Ossoff’s vulnerability in the race has made him hesitant to take unpopular stances on key issues like the federal government shutdown, fearing it could alienate his primary donor base. As the race heats up, the financial landscape of the campaign—and its dependence on out-of-state donors—remains a critical factor in the race’s outcome.