NEW: Poll Crushes Democrats’ 2026 Senate Hopes
A new poll found current Georgia Governor Brian Kemp leading incumbent U.S. Senator Jon Ossify, a Democrat, in a hypothetical match-up in next year’s Senate race. Kemp — whose approval rating recently reached an all-time high in a Morning Consult survey — has long been viewed as a potential senate candidate when he terms out as governor in 2026.
The poll, conducted by WPA Intelligence for the Club for Growth and shared with Politico, found Kemp leading Ossoff with 46 percent of the vote to 40 percent in a head-to-head matchup. An additional 14 percent of respondents indicated that they are undecided.
The poll still provided some good news for Democrats and their 2026 hopes for the U.S. Senate, as Ossoff led in hypothetical matchups with a handful of additional GOP options. Ossoff led over U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter by 13 points, Rep. Mike Collins by 10 points; insurance commissioner John King by 16 points; Rep. Rich McCormick by 11 points and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger by 14 points.
The poll surveyed 500 likely Senate voters in mid-January and had a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.
Kemp is sworn in as Governor of Georgia in 2019
Kemp, who currently serves as chair of the Republican Governors Association, has not yet stated whether he intends to run for the Senate seat. He has expressed interest in seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2028, however.
If Kemp did decide to run, the recent poll would be just one indicator of his strength as a candidate. According to the most recent gubernatorial survey from the Morning Consult — which measures approval ratings for governors in all 50 states — Kemp currently has a net approval rating of 34 percent. Just 29 percent of respondents indicated that they disapprove of Kemp’s job performance, while 63 percent expressed a positive opinion.
Kemp has had a tense relationship with President-elect Trump in the past, namely over the results of the 2020 Election and Kemp’s insistence that the race was above board. The two made amends over the course of the 2024 campaign cycle, however, when Kemp issued a firm endorsement of Trump’s presidential bid.
“We need to retake the Senate. We need to hold the House. We need to hold our legislative majorities that we have in the great state of Georgia. And it takes hard work, that’s what we’ve been doing. And it takes hard work, that’s what we’ve been doing,” the Georgia governor told Fox News host Sean Hannity last year.
The appearance was met with approval from then-candidate Trump, who praised Kemp in a Truth Social post. “Thank you to #BrianKempGA for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country. I look forward to working with you, your team, and all of my friends in Georgia to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote.
In 2026, the Senate map will be noticeably smaller than in 2024, when Republicans flipped multiple seats and came just short of flipping seats in Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin. Georgia is widely viewed as perhaps the most likely ground for a Republican pickup.
A competitive race is also expected in North Carolina, where Republican Senator Thom Tillis will be seeking re-election in a state Trump carried by a single-digit margin. Tillis could be facing a Republican primary challenge
For Democrats, the 2026 Senate map bodes well for a potential pickup in Maine, where incumbent Republican Susan Collins will be looking to secure a fifth term. Vice President Kamala Harris carried Maine in 2024.
Additional competitive races are expected to take place in Virginia, New Mexico, New Jersey and Minnesota, all of which were carried by Vice President Harris by a single-digit margin.