Ossoff now betting favourite to become next US president
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff has surged to the top of betting markets for the 2028 US presidential election following the Democrats’ sweeping midterm victory, overtaking Vice President JD Vance and fellow Democratic contenders Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gavin Newsom.
Ossoff, 39, secured re-election in Georgia with 58.9% of the vote, defeating Republican Mike Collins in a result that has dramatically strengthened his standing in early presidential betting.
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The Democrat is now the 4.33 favourite with betting sites to succeed Donald Trump, ahead of Vance (6.50), Ocasio-Cortez (7.50) and California Governor Newsom (9.50).
Ossoff’s convincing victory in a traditionally competitive state has attracted considerable attention from political bettors, particularly after Democrats secured control of both the House of Representatives and Senate.
The Georgia senator has previously denied having presidential ambitions, although his re-election performance has prompted speculation about a potential White House campaign.
Prediction market giant Polymarket has also moved Ossoff into favourite to succeed Trump.
Meanwhile, Vance has slipped in the betting despite publicly distancing himself from Trump’s controversial war in Iran, which he blamed for the Republicans’ disastrous midterm performance.
“The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” Vance wrote on social media following the election.
The vice president faces questions about his association with the Trump administration as Republicans begin assessing their options for 2028.
Other potential Republican contenders include Secretary of State Marco Rubio (10.00) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (11.00), with the latter potentially benefiting from having remained outside Trump’s current administration.
For the Democrats, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (19.00) and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (23.00) remain among the alternatives to Ossoff, while former Vice President Kamala Harris is a 31.00 outsider.
Ossoff’s rapid rise in the betting markets also reflects questions surrounding the Democrats’ potential 2028 presidential field. Ocasio-Cortez has faced criticism from conservatives and moderate Democrats over her progressive policies, while Newsom continues to face scrutiny over California’s homelessness crisis, housing affordability and cost of living during his time as governor.
Although neither major party has selected its presidential nominee, the dramatic movement in betting markets highlights how quickly the political landscape has shifted following the Republicans’ midterm defeat.
