Marjorie Taylor Greene says she won’t run for Senate against Jon Ossoff

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced Friday she will not run in next year’s Georgia Senate race, a closely watched contest as Republicans hope to eject Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.

“I’m not running,” Greene, a Georgia Republican and staunch Trump ally, wrote in a post on X that excoriated Senate Republicans, saying she “won’t fight for a team that refuses to win.”

Greene’s decision came days after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who was widely seen as a top contender for the Senate seat, chose not to seek the Republican nomination Monday, leaving the primary field largely open.

Georgia GOP Rep. Buddy Carter entered the Senate race Thursday, branding himself a “MAGA Warrior” and a close ally of President Trump’s.

The Georgia seat is important to both parties’ Senate ambitions. Republicans are looking to oust Ossoff to expand their 53-47 majority in the chamber, while holding onto the seat could be crucial to Democrats’ efforts to win control of the Senate.

Recent elections in Georgia have been razor-thin, despite the state’s history as a reliably conservative state. Ossoff won his seat by less than two points in a 2021 Senate runoff. And Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock was reelected by under three points in 2022.

First elected in 2020, Greene is one of the House Republican caucus’ best-known — and most polarizing — members, known for her heated rhetoric, hard-right views and clashes with her party’s leadership. She’s also a prolific fundraiser, and a Trump loyalist: Mr. Trump said in 2023 he would “fight like hell” to elect Greene to the Senate if she chose to run.

But Greene’s polling numbers against Ossoff lagged behind Kemp’s. One hypothetical Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll from last month showed Ossoff leading her 54%-37%. Kemp, meanwhile, led Ossoff 49%-46% — within the 3.1-point margin of error.

Before making his public announcement, Kemp told Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina — chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee — he would not run for Senate, noting concerns from his family, a source familiar with the matter told CBS News.

However, Kemp is still considering his future in the party and may have higher aspirations, according to a senior GOP operative.

contributed to this report.