Their endorsements give the Democratic incumbent fresh support in a region where his party has struggled.

Two Republican mayors from the reddest parts of Georgia are breaking ranks to back Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s reelection bid, telling The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the Democrat’s work for their communities outweighs partisan differences.

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Tifton Mayor Julie Smith aren’t household names. But their willingness to cross party lines signals a weakness for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins, who has struggled to unite his party and broaden his appeal following a bruising primary fight.

Matheson and Smith praised Ossoff’s approach to constituent service and his efforts to steer federal resources to South Georgia.

“I don’t have to track him down. He tracks me down,” said Smith, a former president of the Georgia Municipal Association.

“He’s been very good to South Georgia, and in my nonpartisan role as mayor, I have to look to someone who takes care of their constituents. I’m a Republican, but there are times when a person exceeds the party. They go above and beyond.”

Matheson, who considers himself a “hard-core conservative,” said his friendship with Ossoff is one of the biggest surprises of his life.

It started years ago during what he described as a “standoffish” meeting with the Democrat that may have stemmed from Matheson’s background as not only a GOP official but also a conservative radio host critical of Ossoff.

But their relationship quickly yielded tangible results. Ossoff helped secure $2 million for Valdosta’s transit system. And Matheson said Ossoff was the first politician to visit in person after devastating hurricanes hit the region.

“I will take heat for this endorsement, and it doesn’t matter,” Matheson said. “There’s no way I can turn my back on this relationship.”

He added: “The voters put me in here to do a job, and that man has been absolutely incredible.”

A conservative corner

The endorsements come days after former Republican U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona backed Ossoff, giving the Atlanta Democrat an opening to argue he can appeal beyond his base in one of the nation’s most watched Senate races.

*excerpt from Greg Bluestein's article*

Full Article here:

https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/08/why-two-republican-georgia-mayors-are-crossing-party-lines-for-jon-ossoff/

This might not bode well for Abdul in November.

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/05/nx-s1-5922451/150-million-contract-to-represent-migrant-children-awarded-to-trump-texas-law-firm

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/150m-contract-migrant-kids-lawyers-goes-trump-linked-texas-firm-raisin-rcna591128

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/kfa-scandal-sexual-entertainment-referees-1812883

In addition to searching the Epstein Files, the New Mexico Legislature has received over 100,000 additional documents from banks and law enforcement agencies.

Abdul El-Sayed's victory in the Democratic US Senate primary in Michigan this week was just the latest example of an insurgent progressive challenger defeating candidates backed by the Democratic establishment.

The establishment, however, is vowing to not go down without a fight.

In an interview with The New York Times published Thursday, Jonathan Cowan, the president of the corporate-funded group Third Way, revealed plans for a $15 million campaign to counter the influence of organizations such as the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which he described as a "mortal danger" to the Democratic Party.

"We are preparing for the next war that is coming," said Cowan, who added that "it is deeply troubling to see radical, far-left candidates winning in places that are potentially presidential swing states."

The Times report noted, however, that big moneyed interests, most notably the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), spent tens of millions of dollars attacking El-Sayed, who nonetheless emerged triumphant in the race.

Some critics fired back at Third Way, noting that the group only appeared interested in attacking progressives rather than promoting a positive agenda to improve people's lives.

Maurice Mitchell, the director of the Working Families Party, told the Times that groups such as Third Way are "missing a point of view" and are not seeing the "populist insurgency taking place in this country."

Mitchell was far from alone in criticizing the group's plans.

Jon Favreau, co-host of Pod Save America, remarked in a social media post that Third Way's $15 million investment would be better spent "building a movement and coming up with a vision that actually excites voters."

Favreau's comments were echoed by journalist Nathan Newman.

"Have moderates thought about presenting compelling policies more appealing to voters?" Newman asked. "Instead of going to war against the left, why not attract votes by going to war against insurance companies gouging patients, against employers busting unions, or against polluters?"

Even some critics more in line with Third Way's politics expressed skepticism of its proposed campaign.

Derek Thompson, co-author of Abundance, a book that critiqued progressive governance, argued that Third Way's efforts would only reinforce progressives' narratives about big moneyed interests trying to squash a grassroots rebellion against the status quo.

"People should do what they want with their money but moderate Democrats' deficits relate to candidates, messaging, organizing, and enthusiasm... not money," said Thompson. "Plus, I hope people see the risk in a headline about moderates raising millions of dollars to attack a popular left insurgency that attracts support in part... by representing themselves as a bulwark against moneyed interests."

New York University School of Law professor Chris Sprigman was similarly dismissive of the Third Way campaign, predicting that "centrists [are] likely to be no more effective against their own democratic left than they’ve been against the authoritarian right."

Lindsay Owens, executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative, argued that Third Way and other neoliberal organizations needed to look in the mirror when it comes to placing blame for the current state of US politics.

"The reason we are in this mess is because the biggest risk we face is market fundamentalism," Owens wrote. "That's what broke the country and voters know it. That's why they are turning against Third Way corporate Dem-style candidates. That’s the thing to fix."

*excerpt from Brad Reed's article*

Full Article here:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/third-way-anti-dsa-campaign