Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat running for reelection, has spent nearly $3,000 on hair and makeup services through his campaign, outpacing every other Senate candidate, including the women.
Federal Election Commission records show Mr. Ossoff has paid fellow Georgian Stephanie Ponder for the services.
By contrast, Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican also up for reelection, has recorded just $350 in campaign hair and makeup costs, and the Collins Victory Committee, which supports her, recorded another $1,440.
The records cover this election cycle, which began at the start of 2025.
Ms. Ossoff’s biggest competition comes from House members of the “Squad.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has spent more than $5,000, mostly at The Only Agency in New York, but she has also patronized District Demeanor in suburban Maryland.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Michigan Democrat, recorded $1,566 in hair and makeup services costs, with Salone Pure in Dearborn, Michigan, winning her loyalty.
It’s not like Mr. Ossoff can’t afford it. He has a massive fundraising lead over his Republican challenger, Rep. Mike Collins.
The RealClearPolitics average of polls shows Mr. Ossoff with a 7.5-percentage-point lead over Mr. Collins.
Mr. Ossoff is the youngest senator at age 39.
1 in 10 American adults own an AR-15 rifle
Americans collectively own 461 million firearms — and AR-15-style rifles account for about 40 million of those, according to a new study by Georgetown University professor William English.
Overall, about 88 million Americans own guns, he calculates.
Mr. English estimates that 25% of them, or almost 10% of the overall U.S. adult population, own an AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle, making it the most popular rifle on the market.
He argues in a brief to the Supreme Court that the prevalence of AR-15 ownership means the firearm is in common use, and therefore bans on its purchase or possession must be unconstitutional.
His national survey sampled nearly 52,000 adult residents, asking detailed questions of gun owners about their weapons, why they have them and how they’ve been used.
The results paint a fascinating picture of the owners:
• Black and White ownership rates are nearly even in ownership rates, with both hovering around a third of their demographic.
• More than 37% of owners said they’ve had to use their gun to defend themselves, their relatives or their homes and property in some way.
• Shots were fired in less than a quarter of the incidents.
Those ownership patterns are a crucial part of the legal battles surrounding firearms ownership, as Democrat-led states move to restrict access and Republicans object, saying the Second Amendment guarantees the right to possess and carry a gun.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case in its upcoming term examining state laws prohibiting sales of AR-15-style rifles, which critics label “assault weapons.”
Other cases coming down the pike will challenge restrictions on where lawful owners can carry firearms in public and whether states can limit the capacity of ammunition magazines.
Mr. English’s study says the majority of gun owners also own magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and nearly 90% of them say they need the higher capacity for defensive purposes.
25% of Ohio voters wrongly think Sherrod Brown is the incumbent
Democrat Sherrod Brown has been out of the Senate for nearly two years, but a large chunk of Ohio voters think he’s still there.
That’s proving to be a significant boon for Mr. Brown, who, after losing his reelection in 2024, is seeking to win Ohio’s other U.S. Senate seat in this year’s election.
A Bowling Green State University survey conducted this month found 25% of likely voters still thought Mr. Brown was in office. The rest properly identified Sen. Jon Husted, the Republican seeking to fend off Mr. Brown.
Mr. Husted has served since last year, when he was appointed to fill the seat left vacant when J.D. Vance became vice president. Before that he was Ohio’s lieutenant governor.
Mr. Brown, meanwhile, served three terms as senator, maintaining a liberal record in a state that had been trending Republican for years.
This year’s contest in Ohio is the second most expensive in the country, trailing only Texas, according to OpenSecrets.org, which tracks campaign spending.
A cryptocurrency political action committee, Fairshake, has announced it will spend $30 million to stop Mr. Brown, who opposes legislation backed by President Trump that would create national regulations for the cryptocurrency industry.
Fairshake spent more than $40 million in 2024 to defeat Mr. Brown, who was chairman of the Senate Banking Committee at the time.
The Real Clear Politics average of polls shows Mr. Husted with a 4-point lead in the race.
• Seen, Heard & Whispered is a weekly column taking you inside the conversations happening in Washington’s power corridors, the moves being made and the whispers that explain what’s really going on in the nation’s capital. Email tips to whispered@washingtontimes.com. Click here to receive this in your inbox every Friday morning.
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