Tifton Mayor Julie Smith on Sen. Ossoff: “He’s been very good to South Georgia… I’m a Republican, but there are times when a person exceeds the party. They go above and beyond.”

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson on Sen. Ossoff: “I will take heat for this endorsement, and it doesn’t matter… There’s no way I can turn my back on this relationship.”

Atlanta, Ga. — Today, two key South Georgia Republican Mayors endorsed Senator Jon Ossoff for re-election. 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution detailed how Tifton Mayor Julie Smith and Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson are crossing party lines to support the Senator and “praised Ossoff’s approach to constituent service and his efforts to steer federal resources to South Georgia.”

Earlier this week, former Republican U.S. Senator Jeff Flake endorsed Sen. Ossoff. During an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Flake cited that Sen. Ossoff’s “character, constituent work and respect for the institution outweigh their policy differences.” In citing concerns about Sen. Ossoff’s opponent, Mike Collins, Flake acknowledged he was “troubled by the Republican’s refusal to recognize Biden’s 2020 victory.” 

In recent weeks, Collins has faced scrutiny over a number of controversies, including his ties to white nationalism, which has led to growing concerns about Collins’ candidacy coming from within his own party both in-state and nationally. 

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Why 2 GOP mayors are crossing party lines for Jon Ossoff
By Greg Bluestein | August 6, 2026 

KEY EXCERPTS: 

• Two Republican mayors from the reddest parts of Georgia are breaking ranks to back Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s reelection bid, telling The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the Democrat’s work for their communities outweighs partisan differences.

• Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Tifton Mayor Julie Smith aren’t household names. But their willingness to cross party lines signals a weakness for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins, who has struggled to unite his party and broaden his appeal following a bruising primary fight.

• Matheson and Smith praised Ossoff’s approach to constituent service and his efforts to steer federal resources to South Georgia.
  
• “I don’t have to track him down. He tracks me down,” said Smith, a former president of the Georgia Municipal Association. 

• “He’s been very good to South Georgia, and in my nonpartisan role as mayor, I have to look to someone who takes care of their constituents. I’m a Republican, but there are times when a person exceeds the party. They go above and beyond.” 

• Matheson, who considers himself a “hard-core conservative,” said his friendship with Ossoff is one of the biggest surprises of his life. 

• It started years ago during what he described as a “standoffish” meeting with the Democrat that may have stemmed from Matheson’s background as not only a GOP official but also a conservative radio host critical of Ossoff. 

• But their relationship quickly yielded tangible results. Ossoff helped secure $2 million for Valdosta’s transit system. And Matheson said Ossoff was the first politician to visit in person after devastating hurricanes hit the region.

• “I will take heat for this endorsement, and it doesn’t matter,” Matheson said. “There’s no way I can turn my back on this relationship.”

• He added: “The voters put me in here to do a job, and that man has been absolutely incredible.”

• The endorsements come days after former Republican U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona backed Ossoff, giving the Atlanta Democrat an opening to argue he can appeal beyond his base in one of the nation’s most watched Senate races. 

• The support from Smith and Matheson gives Ossoff two local Republican leaders in a deep-red region where Democrats have struggled to gain ground. Their backing also helps him reinforce a broader argument that his record in office can transcend party lines. […]

• For Collins, the endorsements highlight the work ahead. He trails Ossoff in nearly every public poll, has a steep fundraising disadvantage and faces doubts from some Republicans about whether his hard-line alignment with Trump and a series of controversies will limit his appeal beyond the GOP base. […]

• “There’s always going to be disagreement when you’re talking partisan politics. But I look at the record, and his record to improve the businesses and communities in my region speaks to me louder than whether I’m a Republican or a Democrat,” she said. “The proof is in the pudding.”

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