Georgia Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff will isolate himself after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus and himself began experiencing symptoms, his campaign said Saturday.
Ossoff’s campaign said his wife, Alisha Kramer, who is an obstetrician at a local hospital, received a positive test for COVID-19 on Friday night after experiencing symptoms earlier in the week. Ossoff, who is also experiencing unspecified symptoms, was evaluated Saturday morning and his results are pending.
“Dr. Kramer, like many healthcare workers, puts himself at risk of caring for pregnant Georgian women who give birth and newborns. She is a heroine,” said Miryam Lipper, director of communications for the campaign. Ossoff.
“Jon has not conducted or participated in a campaign event in person in over a month and will remain isolated until he and Dr. Kramer are cleared by medical professionals. We will keep the public informed with up-to-date information, but at this time we are only praying for the health of the family and its full and rapid recovery, ”he added.
Ossoff, an investigative journalist, is locked in a competitive race against Senator David Perdue (R-Ga.) In a state that is expected to be a top-down battleground.
Amid recent polls and a strong fundraiser for Ossoff, The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan electoral hurdle, changed his rating for the Senate race from “skinny” Republican to “shed.”
Saturday’s announcement puts a renewed focus on the coronavirus outbreak in Peach state. The pandemic was already expected to play a huge role in Georgia, as the state is dominated by a surge in COVID-19 cases and a fierce political battle between state and local leaders.
Georgia, which had one of the country’s most aggressive reopening plans, has seen a steady increase in cases recently. The state reported more than 4,800 new cases Friday alone, according to Georgia Department of Public Health figures updated until mid-afternoon.
The spike in cases has sparked a fierce political battle in the state, with Gov. Brian Kemp (R) suing Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) to prevent her from serving a city-wide mask mandate.
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