Ossoff rebukes Collins in Atlanta church address focused on democracy and faith

Speaking before congregants at Beulah Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff framed Georgia’s upcoming Senate race as a test of character, accountability, and democratic values.

The Democratic senator, who is seeking reelection this fall, sharply criticized Republican nominee Mike Collins and urged voters to examine candidates’ records beyond campaign rhetoric.

“You may have seen that one of those election deniers now asks to represent Georgia in the Senate,” Ossoff said. He accused Collins of supporting cuts to health care, associating with “bigotry and anti-Semitism,” and defending those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. “To this day, this man makes excuses for those who carried out an attack to throw out your votes and install a defeated president,” Ossoff told churchgoers.

The speech reflected the longstanding role of Black churches in Georgia as spaces where faith, civic engagement, and questions of justice intersect. Rather than focusing primarily on policy differences, Ossoff argued that religious faith should not exempt political leaders from scrutiny and encouraged voters to evaluate how candidates speak about opponents, minority communities, and democratic institutions.

With Georgia expected to host one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate contests, Ossoff used the church setting to emphasize what he views as the stakes of the race.

“Because the hatred that Mike Collins promotes is a relic of the bad old days,” Ossoff said. “Georgia’s spirit of tolerance will overwhelm and defeat bigotry, and our defense of voting rights will be so fierce that no plot against the franchise will foil the will of the people.”

Collins has denied accusations of antisemitism, racism, and election denialism, and his campaign has rejected Democratic characterizations of his record.