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Californians Donate Twice as Much as Georgians to Ossoff

87 percent of Ossoff's Q3 itemized donations came from outside Georgia

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 15: U.S. Senate candidate Jon Ossoff (D-GA) puts Georgia Votes sticker on his jacket during early voting at the State Farm Arena on October 15, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. Ossoff is in a tight race with incumbent Sen. David Perdue (R-GA). (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
October 16, 2020

California donors provided twice the amount of large contributions to Georgia Senate candidate Jon Ossoff (D.) as donors from his home state in the past quarter, according to a federal election filing.

Ossoff received $3.37 million in itemized contributions, donations over $200, from Californians, compared to $1.64 million from Georgians in the third quarter. More than 87 percent of Ossoff's total in itemized contributions came from outside Georgia, a sharp increase from the 64 percent he received in the second quarter.

Ossoff's fundraising demonstrates greater enthusiasm for his campaign outside of Georgia than inside it, similar to his failed 2017 bid for Georgia's Sixth Congressional District. More than 97 percent of donations to Ossoff in the final two months of that campaign came from outside Georgia. Despite raising a then-House record $32 million, he lost to his Republican opponent.

Among Ossoff's California donors was left-wing billionaire and Green New Deal supporter Tom Steyer, who gave the maximum $2,800. Ossoff has not endorsed the Green New Deal resolution—a far-left package of economic, environmental, and social justice programs—but he praised its cosponsors Sen. Ed Markey (D., Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) last year for "linking environmental policy and infrastructure policy."

In the last quarter, he raised $21.3 million overall and has $8.3 million in cash for the final stretch of the campaign. Ossoff, who has never held office, is trying to oust Sen. David Perdue (R., Ga.). Polls show Perdue narrowly leading his challenger in a race critical to party control of the U.S. Senate.

Ossoff's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.