Senators Ossoff, Warnock miss GA Democrats event due to government shutdown

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - As the government shutdown heads into the weekend, democrats across Georgia gathered for the 2025 Carter-Lewis dinner Friday night.

“As we speak, Republicans have shut down the federal government in order to force through some of the most devastating healthcare cost hikes that Georgians have ever seen,” said Charlie Bailey, the Georgia Democratic Party Chair.

Georgia’s U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock were scheduled to speak at the event. However, they did not show up due to the government shutdown and remain in Washington, D.C.

Both sent video messages in their absence on their efforts to reopen the government.

“I am committed to solving the problem and finding a pathway forward, and that is why I was unable to join you this evening as Democrats work to open the government and prevent a huge increase in healthcare costs to American families,” Ossoff said.

“They [Republicans] are trying to despair and convince us that they’ve already won and there’s no need to fight, but the people in this room know they have not won and we’re not about to stop fighting,” Warnock said.

Meanwhile, Josh McKoon, the Georgia Republican Party Chair, claims Democrats want to give free healthcare to undocumented immigrants.

“It’s Senator Ossoff, Chuck Schumer and the democrats who are keeping our government closed right now,” McKoon said.

As both sides continue to disagree, more than 100,000 federal employees in Georgia face funding cuts, furloughs, or delayed pay.

McKoon believes it’s the Democrats who need to compromise.

“The cause of this government shutdown is the democrats’ unwillingness to compromise with republicans and vote for a clean continuing resolution that will continue to fund the government at current spending levels,” McKoon said.