Tifton and Valdosta sit in one of the most conservative corners of Georgia.
But today, the mayors of both cities said they’re backing Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff in his reelection bid. The endorsements mark a notable defection in territory that has historically been solidly Republican.
In interviews with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Tifton Mayor Julie Smith pointed to Ossoff’s constituent service and his advocacy for South Georgia as the reasons for their support.
“I don’t have to track him down. He tracks me down,” said Smith. “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.”
In Valdosta, Ossoff helped secure $2 million for the city’s transit system and was the first politician to visit the region after the devastating hurricanes of 2024. He’s also delivered federal funding for other local infrastructure projects in South Georgia, part of a broader pattern of steering resources toward the region regardless of politics.
“I will take heat for this endorsement, and it doesn’t matter,” Matheson said. “That man has been absolutely incredible.”
While. Ossoff has led in nearly every major poll so far, his path to victory still runs through winning over independents and the Trump voters who helped the senator carry Georgia in 2024.
These endorsements could give Ossoff a boost in one of Georgia’s most Republican-leaning areas. Lowndes County, home to Valdosta, backed President Trump by 18 percentage points in 2024. Tift County, where Tifton sits, went for Trump by 36 points, making local GOP officials’ willingness to publicly break ranks all the more striking.
With the race drawing national attention—and Trump himself repeatedly attacking Ossoff on the campaign trail—endorsements like these signal that the senator is working to shore up support in territory Republicans would normally consider safe, banking on local relationships to offset the area’s partisan lean.
