Ossoff expects hard fight as he announces 2020 Senate run against Perdue

ATLANTA — The race for U.S. Senate has a new candidate and a familiar face to many Georgians.

Jon Ossoff announced he's challenging Sen. David Perdue, who is up for reelection in 2020.

Ossoff most recently ran against Karen Handel in what became the most expensive congressional race in U.S. history after Tom Price was named Health and Human Services Secretary for the Trump administration.

He narrowly lost the 6th Congressional election. Ossoff told Channel 2 political reporter Richard Elliot on Tuesday that he expects another hard-fought campaign against Perdue.

Ossoff says he's running against what he calls corruption from the president on down.

"I think if we do not mount an all-out attack on the corruption in our own political system, our democracy may not survive it," Ossoff told Elliot.

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The candidate says the 6th District race prepared him for this campaign.

"Their highest priority all the way to the president, vice president, speaker of the House was my destruction. But we built something in that campaign, and I think folks watching at home will remember how that felt," Ossoff said.

He's not alone on the democratic side in this race. Three other candidates have already announced they too are running for the seat against Perdue: Former Columbus mayor Teresa Tomlinson, Sarah Riggs Amico and Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry.

Ossoff plans to run on background checks along with fighting big pharma, big insurance and against gridlock and corruption.

He thinks Democrats are going to make big strides in Georgia next year.

"My campaign in 2017, we have made a lot of progress. These have been hard fought, competitive elections. It's getting closer every year. Progress takes time," Ossoff said.

Perdue's office released a statement to Channel 2 Action News: 

"Senator Perdue is still the outsider in Washington. He is truly a different kind of leader with a proven record of shaking things up and actually getting results. He is working hard every day to change the direction of our country, and he is fighting for Georgians who feel like many in Washington still are not listening to them." – Senator Perdue's spokeswoman, Casey Black

Republicans are trying to maintain their control over the Senate in 2020, but Democrats see the race as a chance to win it back.

Both sides have identified Georgia as a key state mainly because of a rare phenomenon caused by Johnny Isakson's retirement, making both of Georgia's Senate seats open in 2020.

Cox Media Group