Jon Ossoff, usually a head down senator, has found a formula to excite Democrats

Ossoff should be among the most vulnerable Senate incumbents this year. Instead, the Georgia Democrat has opened a steady lead in polls and is increasingly seen as a potential 2028 contender.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6720x4480+0+0/resize/6720x4480!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9b%2F88%2F6f16fd7b4c68b93d3e377637507b%2F2026-08-ossoff-apointer-024.JPG' alt='Sen. Jon Ossoff greets supporters before speaking during a campaign rally at Center Stage in Atlanta on August 16, 2026.'/><p>Ossoff should be among the most vulnerable Senate incumbents this year. Instead, the Georgia Democrat has opened a steady lead in polls and is increasingly seen as a potential 2028 contender. </p><p>(Image credit: Alyssa Pointer For NPR)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5935282' />