Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., said Tuesday night that he has no intention of running for president in 2028, pushing back on speculation about his political ambitions as he campaigns for reelection in a closely watched Senate race.

“I have zero interest in running for president,” Ossoff said during a debate with Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., when asked whether he would serve a full six-year Senate term. “I'm not running for president. I'm running for re-election to the Senate.”

Ossoff has been mentioned as a potential Democratic presidential contender alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and former Vice President Kamala Harris. The senator has repeatedly dismissed the possibility, calling discussions about a 2028 campaign “fantasy football” in a June interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Despite those denials, Ossoff's prominence within the Democratic Party has grown as he has become a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. His reelection campaign is also drawing national attention as Democrats look for opportunities to regain control of the Senate.

Tuesday's debate covered the economy, abortion, public safety, the Jeffrey Epstein files, and the war involving Iran. The candidates clashed over Trump's tariffs, with Ossoff criticizing the policies and Collins defending them as necessary to address the effects of imported cotton on Georgia farmers.

Collins also questioned Ossoff over financial support from billionaire Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn co-founder whose past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has attracted scrutiny. Hoffman previously told The Wall Street Journal that he met with Epstein once to raise money for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and regretted the meeting.

Ossoff responded by pointing to Trump's name appearing repeatedly in the Epstein files, using the issue to challenge the president and his allies. The exchange reflected the broader political dispute over the records and the connections of prominent figures mentioned in them.

Although Ossoff has denied plans to seek the presidency, such statements do not necessarily settle the question of future ambitions. Former President Barack Obama, for example, repeatedly downplayed the prospect of a presidential campaign during and after his 2004 Senate race before launching his successful bid in 2008.

For now, Ossoff says his priority is securing another term in the Senate, with his contest against Collins emerging as an important race in the battle for congressional control.