Rep. Buddy Carter enters 2026 Senate race against Sen. Jon Ossoff

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Buddy Carter, R-Ga., leaves the House Republican Conference caucus meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

A Georgia U.S. House representative is the first Republican to enter the race in hopes of taking Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff's seat.

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who represents a district on Georgia’s coast, announced his entry into the race with a $2.3 million ad buy highlighting his connection with President Donald Trump titled "MAGA Warrior."

What we know:

Carter, now in his fifth term representing Georgia's 1st Congressional District, is the owner of Carter's Pharmacy, Inc.

Before being elected to the U.S. House in 2014, Carter previously served as the mayor of Pooler, Georgia and in the Georgia General Assembly.

He is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Budget Committee.

Earlier this year, Carter introduced a bill authorizing President Trump to negotiate the purchase of Greenland from Denmark, proposing that the island's name be changed to "Red, White, and Blueland."

In the new ad, posted early Thursday morning, Carter touts his work with Trump on immigration issues, and shares clips of the president calling him a "warrior" and "great guy."

Despite his name, Carter is not related to the late President Jimmy Carter.

Big picture view:

 Carter's entry into the race comes days after Gov. Brian Kemp announced that he would not run for the U.S. Senate in 2026 against Ossoff.

"I spoke with President Trump and Senate leadership earlier today and expressed my commitment to work alongside them to ensure we have a strong Republican nominee who can win next November, and ultimately be a conservative voice in the US Senate who will put hardworking Georgians first," Kemp said in a statement on Monday.

Kemp's decision will likely lead to a competitive primary, with Carter being the first candidate to try for their first statewide race.

On Wednesday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told FOX 5's Eric Perry that she was thinking about running for the change to challenge Ossoff.

"A Senate run is something I’m considering, and I’m thankful to have such great support all over the state of Georgia," she said.

Other possibilities could include U.S. Reps. Mike Collins and Rich McCormick, state Insurance Commissioner John King and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

What they're saying:

"Georgians have a very simple choice in 2026: do you want a MAGA warrior for you, or do you want a trans warrior for they/them? I’m with you. You can guess where Jon Ossoff is. Game on," Carter said in a statement, referencing the Democratic senator's vote against a bill that would have banned trans athletes nationwide from participating in school athletic competitions designated for female competitors.

The other side:

A spokesperson for Ossoff's campaign responded after the news broke on Thursday.

"Senator Ossoff will defeat any challenger," the spokesperson wrote. "While the GOP primary field scrambles to outmaneuver each other and audition for Donald Trump’s support, Senator Ossoff’s campaign is already building the most effective and unstoppable turnout effort in Georgia’s history."

A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson said that Carter's announcement is "kicking off a messy, divisive primary in Georgia that will expose their flawed candidates."

"While Carter supports a toxic agenda that would gut Social Security and Medicaid, threaten fundamental freedoms, and skyrocket costs for families, Senator Ossoff is a champion for Georgians and we are confident he will hold this seat in 2026," the statement read.