Republican mayors in reliably conservative parts of Georgia are crossing party lines to endorse Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) over Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), the Trump-backed Republican nominee for U.S. Senate.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution politics reporter Greg Bluestein reported on Thursday that Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Tifton Mayor Julie Smith — both Republicans — are backing Ossoff in the Senate race.

Both mayors pointed to Ossoff's constituent services as the driving reason for their endorsements.

"I don't have to track him down. He tracks me down," Smith said.

Bluestein wrote that the mayors' "willingness to cross party lines signals a weakness for Republican U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins, who has struggled to unite his party and broaden his appeal following a bruising primary fight." Collins, a Trump loyalist, defeated Derek Dooley, who had the backing of state Republicans including Gov. Brian Kemp (R), in a contentious primary. The AJC previously reported on Collins's challenges in expanding his appeal beyond the GOP base.

The endorsements come at a time when Georgia has solidified its status as a battleground state. Ossoff narrowly won his seat in a 2021 runoff by roughly 1.2 percentage points, a victory that helped deliver Democratic control of the Senate. Since then, every major statewide contest in Georgia has been decided by tight margins, making crossover support in places like South Georgia potentially consequential.

South Georgia ranks among the most Republican regions in the state. According to 2024 election results, Trump carried Tifton's Tift County by nearly 36 percentage points and Valdosta's Lowndes County by approximately 18 points.

"The support is notable because it comes from one of the most conservative corners of Georgia," Bluestein explained. "The president topped more than 70 percent of the vote in many surrounding counties."

Smith emphasized that Ossoff's dedication to the region transcends partisan considerations.

"He's been very good to South Georgia, and in my nonpartisan role as mayor, I have to look to someone who takes care of their constituents. I'm a Republican, but there are times when a person exceeds the party. They go above and beyond," Smith said.

Matheson, who describes himself as a "hard-core conservative" and hosts a far-right talk radio show, called his friendship with Ossoff "one of the biggest surprises of my life." Their relationship began with what Matheson characterized as a "standoffish" meeting but deepened when the two collaborated to secure $2 million in federal funding for Valdosta's transit system. Ossoff was also the first lawmaker to arrive in Valdosta after the city was struck by devastating hurricanes.

Matheson said he is prepared for backlash from fellow conservatives.

"I will take heat for this endorsement, and it doesn't matter," Matheson said. "There's no way I can turn my back on this relationship."

"The voters put me in here to do a job, and that man has been absolutely incredible," he added.

Ossoff has a track record of cultivating relationships across the aisle. He previously earned an endorsement from former U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, a Republican who publicly clashed with Trump. Flake and Matheson are both also supporting the Republican candidate for governor and other GOP races down the ballot. The question heading into November is whether Collins can consolidate enough GOP support to overcome the incumbent's crossover appeal, or whether further Republican defections from local officials will widen Ossoff's coalition.