Vulnerable Democracy Fueled by California and New York Donors Despite Grassroots Claims

FIRST ON FOX: Georgia Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, described by CNN as the “most threatened Senate Democrat in the country,” touted “an unstoppable grassroots coalition.” But, according to the latest documents released by the Federal Election Commission (FEC), his campaign is supported by a lot of money from out of state.

Ossoff’s latest quarterly report shows that more than 80 percent of the money he raised last time came from out-of-state donors. The report, which details contributions from people who gave at least $200 this cycle, also reveals that more than half of its donors at most come from California, New York or the DC-Maryland-Virginia region.

After the release of an October filing, Ossoff’s team touted in a press release that, in the face of “heavy spending by GOP Super PACs,” it had raised $12 million during the latest third-quarter filing period, which runs from July 1 to September 30.

The same press release said Ossoff’s “reelection juggernaut” was “overwhelmingly” fueled by small donors, with an average of $36 coming from about 233,000 donors. If a donor has not given a total of at least $200, that donor’s contribution is not disclosed in FEC filings.

NATIONAL DEMS FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN OF MIDWESTERN STATE “FALSE INDEPENDENT” SENATE CANDIDATE

Senator Jon Ossoff, Democrat of Georgia, has raised a lot of money from out-of-state donors. Some GOP critics and Capitol Hill insiders have argued that the Georgia Democrat cannot break ranks and vote to reopen the government or he could risk losing significant support from liberals across the country. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Ossoff is running for reelection in a state that Trump won in 2024, albeit by a slim two-point margin. He first came to Congress in 2021 after defeating incumbent Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., in a razor-thin election that required a runoff. During this first election cycle, according to the Washington Free Beacon, Ossoff raised 60 percent of his contributions outside the state of Georgia.

According to Ossoff’s recent filing with the FEC in October, California led the pack in terms of the largest number of donations to its campaign during the third quarter, totaling about 20% of all donations. Georgia comes in second with about 17.5%.

But when it comes to donors who maxed out their contributions, more of those political donors came from California (33.3%), New York (15.65%), and Massachusetts (10.8%) than from Georgia, which accounted for just 6.1% of the max donors who contributed to Ossoff in the third quarter.

REPUBLICAN DOOLEY JUMPS INTO GEORGIA SENATE RACE WHILE SUPPORTING TRUMP AND AIMING OSSOFF

Senator Jon Ossoff, Democrat of Georgia, is re-elected after a narrow victory in the 2020 election cycle. (AP Photo/Buddy Carter for Senate)

Given Ossoff’s vulnerability as Election Day approaches, Republican Party strategists and Senate sources say the Georgia Democrat is unlikely to break with his party to vote to reopen the government, fearing it could cost him crucial support from liberal donors nationally.

“There is no middle ground for him when it comes to these big decisions that need to be made, and I think the shutdown proves that,” Ryan Mahoney, a Georgia-based Republican strategist who has worked with Republican state senators, told the Washington Examiner.

“His calculation is, ‘Do I vote to open the government and get crushed and not be able to raise a single dollar of low-value money, or do I vote to shut down the government and get $3 million (through online fundraising)?'” a Democratic Party member also told The Hill.

A sign reading “Closed Due to Federal Government Shutdown” in front of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC on October 6, 2025. (José Luis Magana/AP Photo)

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Ossoff’s campaign declined to comment when contacted for this article.