Senator Jon Ossoff is up for re-election in 2026, and I wanted to know what Georgia voters actually think about his work. Not the Twitter takes. Not the cable news analysis. The real stuff from people living in rural Georgia, Atlanta, and everything in between.
So I ran a study with six Georgia voters. Asked them about Ossoff's accountability focus, his bipartisan approach, and what issues matter most. The findings are fascinating.
The Participants
Six Georgians with very different lives: a 41-year-old volunteer caregiver in rural Georgia living on disability benefits, a 51-year-old unemployed former staffing professional in rural Georgia who's uninsured, a 56-year-old unemployed adult in rural Georgia living simply with her beagle, a 25-year-old restaurant manager in rural Georgia, a 43-year-old Atlanta credit union operations manager, and a 58-year-old Athens resident who's a former retail strategist now on Medicaid.
Question 1: Is Accountability the Right Focus?
Ossoff has made government accountability and fighting fraud his signature. But is that what voters want?
The consensus: It's fine, but it's table stakes.
"Accountability is fine, but that is the floor, not the ceiling. I expect my Senator to keep folks honest. That is basic customer service." - Jeralyn, 41, Rural GA
The Atlanta operations manager put it bluntly:
"It's fine, but it feels like table stakes. I work in compliance, so accountability matters, but it can turn into press-conference theater fast. If audits do not move my monthly budget or my kid's schedule, I stop caring." - Carrie, 43, Atlanta
What voters want instead:
Healthcare that doesn't nickel and dime (cheaper meds, dental coverage)
Rural broadband that actually works on dirt roads
Cost of living relief (power bills, insurance, junk fees)
Disability and seniors protections
Voting access (short lines, fair maps)
Question 2: Bipartisan or Party Voice?
Ossoff has worked with Republican senators on legislation. Does this appeal to voters, or do they want a stronger partisan voice?
The answer: Work with anyone for Georgia, but don't trade away our voice.
"I like bipartisanship when it shows up in my life, not just on TV. If working with a Republican gets my clinic funded, lowers my meds bill, or brings steady internet down this road, fine by me." - Jeralyn, 41, Rural GA
But there are clear red lines:
"Bipartisan is great when it delivers actual, measurable wins; otherwise it's costume jewelry. I don't want Ossoff playing nice on core rights - voting access, reproductive autonomy, immigrant due process, rule-of-law." - Sean, 58, Athens
The balance voters want:
Work across the aisle on nuts-and-bolts: broadband, hospitals, grid hardening, roads, workforce training
Hold the line on core stuff: voting access, healthcare, criminal justice reform
No culture-war bait - pick fights you can win that change bills and prices
Show receipts - come back to counties with what got funded and how it helps
Question 3: The Biggest Issue for Georgia
What's the single biggest issue Ossoff should be fighting for?
The answer was overwhelming: Rural healthcare access.
"Last month my copay jumped out the blue and my telehealth cut out mid visit. I had to pick between meds and fixing my brake light. That is the kind of mess folks here live with." - Jeralyn, 41, Rural GA
The 51-year-old uninsured rural Georgian was even more direct:
"Rural healthcare, full stop. Folks out here are dying more from distance and paperwork than disease. I'm uninsured, I check my pressure on that pharmacy cuff, and I put off the doctor because I don't want a bill I can't climb out of." - Justin, 51, Rural GA
How Ossoff should communicate:
Talk plain, not fancy - say what changed and what I will pay now, per month
Bring receipts - show before and after on a bill, pill price, power bill line item
Come to us - mobile office at the Dollar General lot, church fellowship halls
Use what we actually see - local radio, flyers at pharmacy, short Facebook posts
No shutdown chicken - don't threaten people's checks to make a point
The Rural-Urban Divide (Sort Of)
What surprised me most: the Atlanta voter and the rural voters weren't as different as you'd expect. The Atlanta credit union manager wanted housing supply and transit fixes. The rural voters wanted healthcare and broadband. But both groups demanded the same thing: receipts.
"Tie dollars to outcomes: county-by-county targets, quarterly progress, independent audits, clawbacks if vendors miss milestones." - Carrie, 43, Atlanta
"Plain English. No slogans. Tell me what gets funded, where, and when. One page, no fluff. Dollars, dates, counties. I want to see my county on there." - Sabrina, 56, Rural GA
What This Means for Ossoff's Campaign
Based on this research, here's what I'd tell Ossoff's team:
Accountability is good - but pair it with tangible wins voters can feel
Rural healthcare is THE issue - clinics, telehealth, prescription costs
Bipartisanship only matters when it delivers local outcomes
Monthly scorecards with county-level metrics would build trust
Go where voters are: Dollar General lots, church halls, not just Atlanta events
Use local radio and Facebook, not just digital ads
The bottom line from Georgia voters: As the rural caregiver put it, "Do the work, bring receipts, and let us feel it in our kitchens. Otherwise, well, bless their heart, they tried."
Cheers,
Sophie