Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who is up for re-election in Georgia this year, has spent at least $2,887.33 on makeup services from Hollywood artist Stephanie Ponder since late February, according to campaign finance filings detailed by the Washington Free Beacon. These expenditures are reportedly higher than those of other federal candidates this year.
Ponder has an extensive resume, with credits including makeup work for "The Hunger Games" franchise, "The Notebook," "Remember the Titans," "Hillbilly Elegy," and "Black Panther." Ossoff's campaign made three payments totaling $2,887.33 to Ponder.
For comparison, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has spent just under $2,000 on similar services this year. Ossoff's spending has drawn commentary, with conservative commentator Steve Guest referring to the senator as "allegedly male" in a social media post.
The senator is currently campaigning to retain his Georgia Senate seat against Republican challenger Mike Collins. Polls indicate Collins is trailing.
Speculation about Ossoff's potential presidential aspirations in 2028 has also surfaced. Some observers point to his messaging skills, criticisms of Donald Trump, and public image as factors that could benefit a national campaign. Fox News host Laura Ingraham recently labeled him the Democrats' "new Obama" on social media.
Prediction markets show Ossoff's chances of becoming the Democratic nominee increasing, though he trails figures like Gavin Newsom and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. However, Ossoff has publicly stated he is not interested in a 2028 presidential run, telling CNN's Manu Raju in late June that he is "laser-focused" on his current Senate campaign.
Ossoff has a background in television production, with an IMDB page listing his work in the field. His opponent, Mike Collins, has faced scrutiny after his son-in-law was accused of promoting white nationalist and anti-Semitic theories online.
Ossoff's campaign did not respond to requests for comment regarding the makeup expenditures.