Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff started his rally speech with a compliment, “You look good, Atlanta,” and then got down to business.
“These are serious times, Atlanta. This is not a drill. This is not a bad dream. Atlanta, are you ready to fight,” he said.
Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock are often seen together. The pair will forever be linked due to their barrier-breaking elections as the state’s first Jewish and Black senators in the state’s history. On Saturday afternoon the Ebony-and-Ivory of the United States Senate were back together again. This time Ossoff took the driver’s seat to both talk up his campaign for re-election in 2026 and talk down the current Presidential administration.
“Do you all remember how it felt to fight and to win?” Ossoff asked the crowd of over 2,000 supporters assembled six rows deep in front of him.
The “Rally for Our Republic,” which took place at The Eastern, a live music venue located in Reynoldstown on Saturday, Mar. 22, addressed concerns over how Republican President of the United States Donald Trump is running the country in his second term as commander in chief. Both Ossoff and Warnock were vocal opponents of Trump during former United States Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for the Oval Office.
Ossoff, who defeated former Republican Senator David Perdue in a runoff in 2020, had already begun his re-election campaign earlier this year with videos on his Facebook page, for example. But very few things can reach potential voters and supporters like a rally and that seems to be trending of late. Democratic and Republican members of Congress and the Senate have been holding town Halls across the country. Some of those town halls have resulted in viral moments between constituents and elected officials on social media platforms. That level of protest also includes boycotts of commercial brands like Target.
“Georgia will bow to no king” Sen. Ossoff
Ossoff asked several other questions to the crowd, including if their family’s lives will improve if billionaires continue getting tax cuts.
“They are literally the elites they pretend to hate,” Ossoff said of Trump, Elon Musk, and their contemporaries. “The system is rigged, but Trump is not un-rigging it, he’s rigging it for himself.”
“Georgia will bow to no king’,” Ossoff said.
Warnock, who took the stage before Ossoff, was greeted with applause. He took a moment to joke about being nervous because it felt like it was time for him to run for office again.
“It feels like a year. Folks in this room know it’s been a scary couple of months,” Warnock said of the second Trump administration.
During his time on stage, Warnock spoke about the importance of re-electing Ossoff and the recent attacks on social security, Medicaid benefits, healthcare, and the loss of thousands of federal jobs.
“This isn’t the change people wanted,” he said. “This is painful for a lot of families. This is not a game. They are busy attacking ordinary people.”
Warnock, who took several shots at Musk, told the capacity crowd that they have more power than they think they have.
“This isn’t the change people wanted. This is painful for a lot of families. This is not a game. They are busy attacking ordinary people.”
Sen. Warnock
“If you fight in the streets, we’ll fight in the suites,” he said regarding assembling to display voting power. “We must not give in to those who try to weaponize despair. When we fight, we win.”
During the rally, non-political speakers also took the stage in support of Ossoff and in opposition to the Trump administration. The list included Chris Purdy, an Iraq War veteran and Atlanta resident; Dr. Kathleen Ethier, a now-retired 25-year veteran of the CDC and Atlanta resident; and Dr. Shawna S. Moore, a maternal and reproductive health expert and professor.
Purdy, a United States Army veteran, mentioned that Trump and Elon Musk lack courage and are not serving this country.
“I don’t see politics, I see betrayal. We need to elect leaders who give a damn,” Purdy said.
Moore said she was at the rally to share the “real fears” she and other Black women and mothers have now that Trump is in the Oval Office. Those concerns include abortion bans and the lack of medical care for women in rural areas.”
During her time on stage, Moore shared a personal story of a traumatic birthing experience when she had her son.
“We must raise our voices, Georgians we are strong, we can come together, and we can create a powerful path forward,” Moore said.
Even though we are in March of a non-election year, voting in November 2026 came up several times during the speeches.
“November 2026 seems like a long way off, but I encourage you all to be here,” Ethier said. Thank you all for the support you are showing, Senator Ossoff.”
Another attendee during the rally, Faye Coffield, wore a green T-shirt that read, “Stop Waiting for Things to Happen” and held a “Rally for Our Republic” sign. Coffield, the executive director of the Evelyn Stokes Foundation and an admitted Democratic voter, was there to “hear what Ossoff’s got to say.”
“I’ve seen him before, but right now, we are in a test to see who has courage, integrity, and who can stand up for the people,” she said.
Coffield said she was done with the Democratic Party but attended the rally because it is important to hear and see elected officials and future candidates in person.
“I have a mind of my own and I want to hold him accountable,” Coffield said.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Debra Wilkins was waiting for her husband to bring her a folding chair when she shared why she was in attendance.
“I’m just not happy with what’s going on with this current presidential administration,” she said.
Spelman College alumna and politically native Delores Turner said she never thought the country would be moving backward in active Atlanta recognizing Black American contributions and accolades.
“I’ve seen this before. I lived this before,” Turner said. “We have overcome this, and I never thought we’d be going back. We have to re-elect Senators Ossoff and Warnock.”