History of Jon Ossoff in Timeline

Jon Ossoff is an American politician currently serving as a U.S. Senator for Georgia since 2021. As a member of the Democratic Party, he transitioned into politics after a career as a documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist. His election to the Senate marked a significant shift in Georgia's political landscape. Ossoff's background in media informs his approach to public service, emphasizing transparency and accountability. He focuses on issues such as economic opportunity, healthcare access, and government oversight, reflecting his commitment to representing the interests of his constituents.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1958: Bombing of the Hebrew Benevolent Congregation Temple

In 1958, the Hebrew Benevolent Congregation Temple in Atlanta was bombed by white supremacists for Rabbi Jacob Rothschild's civil rights activism. Jon Ossoff had his Bar Mitzvah at the Temple.

1961: Hiram Fong in the 86th Congress

Until the end of the 86th Congress in 1961, Hiram Fong was 99th in seniority from Hawaii's admission.

1974: Richard Stone elected

In 1974, Richard Stone of Florida was elected. After that election, Jon Ossoff became the first Jewish senator elected from the Deep South.

1978: Republicans Represented Georgia's 6th Congressional District

Since 1978, the Republican Party represented Georgia's 6th congressional district.

1980: Don Nickles Elected

In 1980, Don Nickles was elected and, until Ossoff's election, was the youngest member of the Senate.

February 16, 1987: Jon Ossoff's Birth

On February 16, 1987, Thomas Jonathan Ossoff, also known as Jon Ossoff, was born. He later became a politician, documentary filmmaker, and investigative journalist.

1992: Democrats Nearly Won

Since 1992, the closest a Democrat had come to winning the northern suburban district was more than 40 percent of the vote.

1996: Max Cleland Elected

Since Max Cleland in 1996, Jon Ossoff is the first Democrat elected to a full term in the Senate from Georgia.

2002: Morris Brown College lost accreditation

Morris Brown College lost its accreditation in 2002 due to years of financial issues and mismanagement.

2005: Zell Miller Left Office

In 2005, Zell Miller left office. Since then, no Democrats had represented Georgia in the United States Senate until Warnock and Ossoff.

2007: Ossoff worked for Hank Johnson

From 2007 to 2012, Jon Ossoff worked as a national security staffer and legislative assistant for foreign affairs and defense policy for U.S. representative Hank Johnson.

2009: Ossoff graduated from Georgetown University

In 2009, Jon Ossoff graduated from Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service with a Bachelor of Science.

2012: Ossoff worked for Hank Johnson

From 2007 to 2012, Jon Ossoff worked as a national security staffer and legislative assistant for foreign affairs and defense policy for U.S. representative Hank Johnson.

2013: Ossoff became managing director of Insight: The World Investigates

In 2013, Jon Ossoff became the managing director and chief executive officer of Insight: The World Investigates (TWI).

2013: Ossoff earned a Master's degree from the London School of Economics

In 2013, Jon Ossoff earned a Master of Science degree in international political economy from the London School of Economics.

2014: Youth turnout in the 6th district midterm election

Jon Ossoff nearly doubled youth turnout in the 6th district from the 2014 midterm election.

January 5, 2017: Ossoff announced candidacy for special election

On January 5, 2017, Jon Ossoff announced his candidacy for the special election for Georgia's 6th congressional district.

March 2017: Opposed the March 2017 version of the American Health Care Act

In March 2017, Jon Ossoff opposed the March 2017 version of the American Health Care Act, the House Republican bill that would have repealed the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

April 18, 2017: Ossoff led in blanket primary but no candidate received 50% of the vote

On April 18, 2017, in the blanket primary, Jon Ossoff led with about 48.1 percent of the vote, but no candidate received 50 percent.

April 19, 2017: Dismissed Trump's claims and called him "misinformed"

On April 19, 2017, after Donald Trump sent out a tweet the day before Ossoff's primary, calling him a "super Liberal Democrat" who wanted to "protect criminals, allow illegal immigration and raise taxes," Ossoff dismissed Trump's claims and called him "misinformed".

May 2017: Opposed the May 2017 version of the American Health Care Act

In May 2017, Jon Ossoff opposed the May 2017 version of the American Health Care Act, stating it was worse than the previous version because it did less to protect those with pre-existing conditions.

June 20, 2017: Ossoff competed in a runoff election

On June 20, 2017, Jon Ossoff and Karen Handel competed in a runoff election, as no candidate secured an absolute majority on April 18, 2017.

2017: Advocated investigations into failures to enforce environmental laws

In 2017, Jon Ossoff advocated for investigations into failures to enforce environmental laws, supported protection of endangered species and habitats, and criticized the Trump administration's rollbacks of environmental standards.

2017: Ossoff married Alisha Kramer

In 2017, Jon Ossoff married Alisha Kramer, an obstetrics and gynecology resident at Emory University, after 12 years of dating.

2017: Ossoff ran in special election for Georgia's 6th congressional district

In 2017, Jon Ossoff ran in the special election for Georgia's 6th congressional district, but narrowly lost.

2017: The New Yorker's analysis of Ossoff's political positions

In 2017, The New Yorker described Jon Ossoff as having progressive positions on women's issues and health care, and moderate stances on jobs and security.

February 23, 2018: Ossoff announced he would not seek the seat in the election

On February 23, 2018, Jon Ossoff announced that he would not seek the seat in the election in 2018.

November 2018: Lucy McBath Won

In November 2018, Lucy McBath won the election.

2018: Twin Pines Minerals LLC proposed a titanium mine in the Okefenokee Swamp

In 2018, Twin Pines Minerals LLC proposed a titanium mine in the Okefenokee Swamp.

July 2020: Controversy over Perdue campaign ad

In July 2020, David Perdue's campaign ran a Facebook advertisement in which Jon Ossoff's nose was digitally altered to be larger, which Ossoff criticized as an anti-Semitic trope.

October 2020: Ossoff became best-funded Senate candidate

By October 2020, Jon Ossoff raised over $100 million for his campaign, making him the best-funded Senate candidate in U.S. history.

2020: Ossoff's senate campaign

In 2020, Jon Ossoff was running his senate campaign.

2020: Ossoff won the 2020 U.S. Senate election in Georgia

In 2020, Jon Ossoff won the U.S. Senate election in Georgia, defeating incumbent Republican senator David Perdue in a runoff election.

2020: Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Ossoff's Policy Ideas

In 2020, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote that Jon Ossoff was more unapologetic about embracing liberal policy ideas than his Democratic predecessors during past statewide races.

2020: Ossoff supported additional stimulus checks

In late 2020, Jon Ossoff supported an additional round of stimulus checks of $1,200.

January 5, 2021: Perdue and Ossoff advanced to runoff election

Since no candidate received a majority of the vote in the November 3 general election, Perdue and Ossoff advanced to a January 5, 2021 runoff election.

January 6, 2021: Ossoff declared victory in Senate race

On the morning of January 6, 2021, Jon Ossoff declared victory in the Senate race, and major news outlets called the race for him later that day.

January 2021: Vogue reports on an "adoring" Instagram account

In January 2021, Vogue reported on an "adoring" Instagram account of self-declared "simps" expressing affection toward Senator Ossoff.

January 2021: Alisha Kramer working overnight shift during election

On the night of Jon Ossoff's election to the United States Senate in January 2021, his wife Alisha Kramer was working an overnight shift in Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

January 20, 2021: Ossoff was sworn into the United States Senate

On January 20, 2021, Jon Ossoff was sworn into the United States Senate in the 117th Congress by Vice President Kamala Harris.

July 2021: The Daily Beast reported on an "Ossimp Patrol" on Twitter

In July 2021, The Daily Beast reported on an "Ossimp Patrol" on Twitter that monitors "Ossoff simps" on the platform, and replies to their tweets with an ActBlue link prompting to donate to Senator Raphael Warnock's 2022 reelection campaign, and get out the vote organizations in Georgia and Texas.

August 2021: Addressed the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and condemned the Kabul airport attack

In August 2021, Jon Ossoff resisted criticizing President Joe Biden for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, focusing on supporting the evacuation of Americans and American-allied Afghans. He later condemned the Kabul airport attack, which resulted in the death of 13 American military personnel.

December 3, 2021: Ossoff petitioned Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona

On December 3, 2021, Jon Ossoff petitioned Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona requesting Morris Brown College regain their accreditation.

December 2021: Ossoff's daughter was born

In December 2021, Jon Ossoff and Alisha Kramer's daughter was born.

2021: Ossoff was CEO of Insight: The World Investigates

From 2013 to 2021, Jon Ossoff was the managing director and chief executive officer of Insight: The World Investigates (TWI).

2021: Ossoff became a U.S. Senator

In 2021, Jon Ossoff became the senior United States senator from Georgia.

2021: Called for ceasefire during Israel-Palestine crisis

In 2021, Jon Ossoff led a group of 25 Democratic senators who called for an immediate ceasefire in a joint statement during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, while also stating that Israel has the right to defend itself from Hamas' rocket attacks.

2021: Voted against Amendment #54 to S. Con. Res. 5

In 2021, Jon Ossoff voted against Amendment #54, introduced by Todd Young, to S. Con. Res. 5, the 2021 COVID-19 stimulus bill, which would have blocked stimulus payments from going to illegal aliens.

2021: Ossoff voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan Act

In 2021, Jon Ossoff voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, an economic stimulus bill aimed at speeding up the United States' recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession.

2021: Voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment

In 2021, Jon Ossoff voted to convict Donald Trump during his second impeachment on the charge of incitement of insurrection following the 2021 United States Capitol attack.

2021: Expressed displeasure with Georgia's Election Integrity Act but opposed corporate boycotts

In 2021, following passage of Georgia's controversial Election Integrity Act of 2021, Jon Ossoff expressed his displeasure with the bill but stated he didn't support the corporate boycotts against the state.

January 2022: Ossoff introduced legislation to ban stock trading

In January 2022, Jon Ossoff introduced legislation that would ban members of Congress and their spouses from trading stocks.

April 2022: Morris Brown College regained accreditation

After Jon Ossoff's petition, Morris Brown College regained accreditation in April 2022.

June 2022: Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade

In response to the June 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, Jon Ossoff stated that the Supreme Court "stripped American women of autonomy over their most personal health care decisions."

2022: Voted to pass voting rights acts

In 2022, Jon Ossoff voted to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.

2022: Warnock's reelection campaign

In 2022, Senator Raphael Warnock was running his reelection campaign.

2022: Blocked titanium mine in Okefenokee Swamp

In 2022, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff blocked a proposed titanium mine in the Okefenokee Swamp after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service warned of severe potential damage to the wildlife refuge.

October 2023: Ossoff visits China as part of a bipartisan delegation

In October 2023, Jon Ossoff participated in a bipartisan visit to China, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, where they met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

2023: Ossoff ranked in top third for bipartisanship

In 2023, the Lugar Center ranked Jon Ossoff in the top third of senators for bipartisanship, placing at number 33.

November 20, 2024: Supported resolutions to block U.S. military aid to Israel

On November 20, 2024, Jon Ossoff was among 19 senators to support resolutions proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders that would block U.S. military aid to Israel amidst the country's invasions of Gaza and Lebanon.