Ossoff features Obama in TV ad ahead of Georgia runoff

Former President Obama narrates an ad released on Tuesday for Georgia Senate candidate Jon Ossoff (D) ahead of his runoff race against incumbent Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) in January. 

The 30-second spot, titled “Prepared,” features footage of Obama stumping for Ossoff and praising the Democratic candidate’s track record “fighting injustice.” The former president also touts Ossoff’s ties to the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.). 

“He learned about public service from one of my lifelong heroes, John Lewis,” Obama says. “He knows we need a new Voting Rights Act that makes sure every Georgian is treated equally under the law.” 

“If we vote like our lives depend on it, because they do, we will elect Jon Ossoff to the United States Senate,” he continues. 

Perdue’s fellow Georgia incumbent, GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler, is also facing a runoff in January against the Rev. Raphael Warnock (D). The two races will determine the balance of power in the Senate. Democrats must win both to win the majority.

Ossoff faces an uphill climb against Perdue in January. While neither candidate won the more than 50 percent of votes needed to win election in November, Perdue won 86,000 more votes than Ossoff. However, Democrats argue mobilizing key groups like Black, Latino and young voters can put them over the edge. 

Democrats hope voter mobilization, fueled in large part by former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, along with voter registration ahead of the state’s Dec. 7 deadline, will propel them to victory. 

Republicans have also expressed concerns that President Trump’s criticism of Georgia officials and his allegations of voter fraud could backfire, depressing GOP turnout.