Summary
- Sen. Jon Ossoff attended the Georgia Chamber luncheon.
- Two GOP candidates also highlighted the event.
- Event focused on Georgia congressional races.
- Candidates presented platforms to the business community.
- Luncheon signals start of 2026 campaigns.
Ossoff and U.S. Representatives Mike Collins of Jackson and Buddy Carter of Savannah did not use it as a campaign stop. Rather, at the Columbus Trade and Convention Center, the three legislators shared their perspectives on congressional issues and their separate jobs on Capitol Hill with prominent Georgia political and business leaders.
Since taking office this year, President Donald Trump has levied tariffs on both allies and enemies of the United States. Ossoff, who is running for a second six-year term in the Senate, has opposed these actions.
“The tit-for-tat tariff war is alienating key international parties while paralyzing much of the business community with the uncertainty,”
he said.
At a time when Georgia has emerged as a leader in the production of electric vehicles, Ossoff claimed that Trump's enormous budget bill, which was approved by the Republican-controlled Congress last month, will harm Georgia firms by eliminating clean-energy tax incentives.
Ossoff stated that he intends to present legislation offering tax credits to companies that make contributions to technical colleges when Congress reconvenes next month after the yearly August break.
“We’ve got to do better than that,”
he said.
“We’ve got to have permitting reform.”
Carter applauded Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" for eliminating the clean-energy credits while maintaining federal tax credits for the nuclear industry.
According to Carter, reducing federal red tape that is impeding economic activity is the most crucial action Congress can take to support companies in Georgia and elsewhere. He pointed out that it took 24 years to deepen Savannah Harbor from 42 to 47 feet.
Collins has been advocating for changes to the federal Clean Act since formally beginning his Senate campaign on Tuesday at a rally in his hometown.
Collins said he plans to introduce tort reform legislation when Congress returns to Washington next month to address skyrocketing insurance premiums. The General Assembly’s Republican majorities passed a bill this year overhauling Georgia’s civil litigation process.
“Until we’ve got tort reform on the federal level, we’re not going to fix this problem,”
Collins said.
What are the main issues highlighted at the Georgia Chamber luncheon about Ossoff and GOP challengers?
Ossoff criticized the rollback of international aid and the trade uncertainty caused by the Trump administration’s tariffs. He argued this hurts Georgia businesses and alienates important global partners. Ossoff also highlighted bipartisan issues such as supporting veterans’ health care and securing funding for military installations in Georgia.
GOP hopefuls Mike Collins and Buddy Carter presented themselves as champions of business-friendly policies and conservative values. Collins emphasized his ability to navigate legislation and connect with both Trump supporters and moderate Republicans.
Carter highlighted the need for permitting reform, reducing regulations, and promoting domestic energy production as key to economic growth, while also showing concern for environmental impact.