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By Peter Aitken
Politics Weekend Editor
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Senator Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, at a recent rally hailed former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, for her statements calling out MAGA voters and politicians, telling her: "Welcome to the resistance."
Newsweek reached out to Greene's press team by email on Saturday afternoon for comment.
Why It Matters
Ossoff is the only Democratic senator up for reelection in 2026 from a state won by Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, making Georgia a top-tier battleground where Republicans hope to expand a narrow Senate majority.
Read More on Politics
Once one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies, Greene’s departure from Congress earlier this year follows a public and bitter split with him over key issues like foreign policy. Her departure further narrowed an already thin majority for House Republicans.
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What To Know
Ossoff launched his 2026 reelection effort while navigating a dual approach—criticizing Trump on some issues while emphasizing bipartisan work on Georgia priorities including agriculture and military installations.
During his rally, which was posted to social media, Ossoff said of MAGA and Greene: "This is the most corrupt administration of all time and everybody knows it. Listen to what Marjorie Taylor Greene just said about MAGA last week. She said, 'I think people are realizing it was all a lie.' Welcome to the resistance."
During an appearance last month on The Kim Iversen Show, the former congresswoman said about Trump's political movement, “I think people are realizing it was all a lie. It was a big lie for the people. What MAGA is really serving in this administration, who they’re serving, is their big donors.”
She continued: “The big, big donors that donated all the money and continue to donate to the president’s PACs and donate to the 250th anniversary and are donating to the big ballroom,” later adding, "It’s the foreign countries. They are running the show here. It’s the major big corporations and what is best for the world. That’s really what MAGA is."
Greene announced her departure from Congress in November 2025, finalizing her exit on January 5 of this year. In her statement about her decision, she discussed a number of grievances against the president and current Congressional leadership—particularly that Congress had been "sidelined" during the first year of the new administration.
Trump, meanwhile, welcomed her departure as "great news for the country."
Battleground Georgia 2026
Speculation that Greene could run for Senate has figured into the political calculus around Ossoff’s reelection, with the Associated Press noting she is among possible Republican contenders after Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said he would not run.
Kemp’s decision not to seek the seat removed a top-tier potential GOP challenger and left the Republican field unsettled, according to the AP.
The AP also reported that Greene is among the Republicans discussed as possible candidates and that Ossoff has appeared to invite a challenge from the north Georgia lawmaker whose national profile is polarizing among swing voters.
What People Are Saying
Senator Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, on X: "Trump was supposed to fight for the working class. Instead, he's closing rural clinics and hospitals to cut taxes for George Soros and Elon Musk. This is a government of, by, and for the ultra-rich."
Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, on X last month: "I objected on Jan 6, 2021 to Biden’s election and have consistently fought against election fraud. In September, I wrote a letter to the DOJ and FBI, urging for a formal investigation into Georgia’s 2020 election. I am glad to see they have finally acted in Fulton County."
What Happens Next
The GOP field remained fluid following Kemp’s decision, and Republicans were expected to test multiple lines of attack on issues ranging from immigration to transgender participation in sports as they seek to unseat Ossoff.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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