Overview
- A Crooked Con straw poll of roughly 990 attendees conducted over the weekend put Sen. Jon Ossoff at about 38 percent, comfortably ahead of the field.
- Prominent analyst Nate Silver told conference attendees Ossoff would be a “slam dunk” top pick and online prediction markets on Kalshi and Polymarket have recently raised his odds for the 2028 Democratic nomination.
- Ossoff won re‑election to the Senate with about 59 percent of the vote and has publicly said he has “zero interest in running for president,” emphasizing his focus on the Senate.
- The straw poll was an informal, non‑scientific survey of progressive activists and does not represent the broader Democratic electorate, with national polling aggregates still placing other figures like Kamala Harris ahead.
- Ossoff’s policy stances that diverge from the progressive wing and the practical need to vacate a Senate seat if he ran — allowing Georgia’s governor to appoint a replacement — are likely to shape both activist enthusiasm and any future calculations.