Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) is suddenly surging in early 2028 Democratic presidential prediction markets — and that means he could have what it takes to reclaim the White House from the MAGA right, according to a CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom entered the year as the clear frontrunner for the 2028 Democratic nomination, with a 35 percent chance, according to the Kalshi prediction market, while Ossoff sat at just 5 percent and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) stood at 10 percent.
Since then, Enten said the field has shifted dramatically.
“Why is this ‘Ossoff America?’” Enten said. “That is because Jon Ossoff is ‘Hotlanta,’ that’s what we’re talking about.”
Newsom’s odds have fallen to 18 percent, keeping him the nominal leader, Enten said, but Ossoff has more than tripled his standing to 16 percent, with Ocasio-Cortez close behind at 15 percent.
Enten pointed to surging public interest as one driver of Ossoff’s rise.
Google searches for the Georgia senator are up 300 percent compared to last July — the highest search volume he’s recorded in that month, according to the data. While some of that attention is tied to his ongoing re-election campaign, Enten noted the interest extends well beyond Georgia, reflecting growing national attention on Ossoff.
That re-election bid, Enten suggested, could serve as a launching pad for a national campaign. He compared Ossoff’s current polling position to historical Democratic Senate performances in Georgia this century, noting that Sen. Raphael Warnock’s 2022 win — the strongest Democratic Senate victory in the state so far this cycle — came by 3 points. A recent Fox News poll showed Ossoff leading by 13 points, a significantly wider margin.
Enten argued that a strong Georgia win would bolster Ossoff’s viability on a national electoral map, demonstrating his ability to carry a key swing state — a case that has also fueled his growing social media presence and searches.
“If you’re a Democratic candidate running for United States Senate, you show you can win in a swing state, and then, of course, you give those spiels that have been going all over social media, which is one of the reasons why, as Google searches are so high, you say, ‘Hey, this is a coalition that might actually work,’” Enten said.
Fundraising numbers add to the momentum. Ossoff has raised $77 million this cycle, making him the top Senate fundraiser this century, according to the analysis.
Enten emphasized that fundraising strength is often a critical indicator of viability for a future presidential run, since building a national campaign requires substantial financial resources.
“Money is what makes a presidential bid go,” Enten said, “and he’s shown an ability to raise a lot of at the top fundraiser this cycle.”
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