Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff is projected to have won re-election in Georgia, defeating Republican challenger Mike Collins and pushing the crucial swing state deeper into Democratic control, CBS News reports.

Ossoff, a rising star in the Democratic Party, portrayed his opponent as loyal to a “failed president” and made the rising cost of living a central issue in the campaign. Georgia, a key swing state, voted for Donald Trump in 2024.

Collins had blamed rising cost of living on former President Joe Biden and defended his support for Trump’s war in Iran.

With polls suggesting Ossoff held a solid lead in the race, Republicans had diverted resources from Georgia to other contests.

News of Ossoff’s projected victory, which was announced less than an hour after polls closed, rippled through the Georgia Democrats watch party in Atlanta with supporters cheering and clapping.

The race was one of the first major contests projected as part of the midterms on Tuesday, which will shape the rest of Donald Trump’s presidency. The outcome will determines which party – Trump’s Republicans or opposition Democrats – controls Congress.

Brian Kemp, Georgia’s term-limited Republican governor, was the favoured candidate to run against Ossoff, but he declined.

Political pundits suspected that Kemp had avoided running, wary of Ossoff’s rising star power, with rumours swirling that the Democrat could be mulling a run for president in 2028.

Throughout his campaign, Ossoff downplayed such rumours, saying on multiple occasions that he has “zero interest” in a presidential bid.

His messaging on the campaign trail focused on the economy and voter concerns around affordability, which exit polls show was the top issue for many.

He often hammered Collins, who is currently serving in the US House of Representatives, for voting to support Trump’s tariffs which have been linked to rising inflation.

His victory was not unexpected but Republicans had still hoped this would be a more competitive race. It’s a state that had previously voted reliably red for decades. President Donald Trump won it in 2024, after Joe Biden eked out a narrow win there in 2020.

An easy win by Ossoff in Georgia could portend a good night for Democrats, though it’s still too early to know.

The win could also ramp up speculation about his 2028 plans. The Georgia Democrat is considered a potential leading contender if he throws his hat in the ring.

Daniel Bush contributed to this report.