She Should Still Be Here — Laken Riley’s Case Reshapes Crucial Senate Race

Immigration is emerging as a central issue in Georgia’s competitive Senate race as the second anniversary of Laken Riley’s murder approaches. Riley, a nursing student, was killed in Athens, Georgia, by an illegal immigrant in a case that sparked national debate over border security.

The National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee released a digital ad on Friday, shared with The Daily Wire, targeting Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) over his immigration record. The spot accuses Ossoff of voting “in lockstep with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” arguing their policies flooded our borders “with dangerous criminal illegals.”

“Jon Ossoff voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ open borders policies every step of the way, and the consequences have been deadly for victims like Laken Riley. Ossoff fights for criminal illegals and Georgians pay the price,” NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia said.

The ad also highlights comments Ossoff made in 2020 during a virtual event, saying, “I don’t think it’s the role of local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law.”

Ossoff ultimately voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act along with some other Democrats. However, Republicans criticized him earlier in the legislative process, arguing that he and other Democrats opposed the proposal when it was previously tied to broader spending negotiations in March 2024, according to WCCS. The bill later passed with bipartisan support in January 2025.

In January, Puglia said Ossoff “refused to champion the Laken Riley Act and only flip-flopped on the life-saving legislation when it was politically expedient for him.”

The Senate fight comes as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) faces a funding lapse amid disagreements between Republicans and Democrats on federal immigration enforcement tactics. While ICE, which falls under DHS, is still largely funded under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed by President Donald Trump last year, the broader standoff has affected other DHS agencies, including FEMA, TSA, and the Coast Guard.

“When federal police are wearing masks, that’s a real bad sign,” Ossoff said recently on the campaign trail. Democrats have called for ending the use of face coverings by federal immigration authorities during enforcement operations.

The Cook Political Report currently ranks the Georgia Senate race as a toss-up, placing it among the most competitive contests in the country alongside Maine, North Carolina, and Michigan.

On the Republican side, Reps. Mike Collins, Buddy Carter, and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley are competing in the Senate primary. Georgia GOP Gov. Brian Kemp backs Dooley, while Trump has yet to endorse a candidate.

The Daily Wire reached out to the Ossoff campaign for comment.

Trump visited Georgia on Thursday amid heightened political activity, including a special election to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a once-staunch ally of the president who had a falling-out with him late last year.