Handel defeats Ossoff in Georgia special election
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Results from the runoff for the House seat vacated by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, where Karen Handel (R) has defeated Jon Ossoff (D):
Key takeaways:
- This was the most expensive House race in history, and it was a true toss-up coming into election day. The district typically votes Republican, but Democrats were desperate to gain their first high-profile victory of the Trump era.
- The Trump factor: This race was billed as a referendum on Trump, and the president intervened with tweets blasting Ossoff for living outside the district, but Handel tried to steer clear of Trump for the most part.
- Our thought bubble: Yes, this is a Republican district, but this is still a big loss for the Dems. They pulled out all the stops here, and had historic fundraising and a historically unpopular president going for them, and still fell short.
Reactions:Trump Tweets: "Thank you @FoxNews 'Huge win for President Trump and GOP in Georgia Congressional Special Election.'" Later — "Congratulations to Karen Handel on her big win in Georgia 6th. Fantastic job, we are all very proud of you!"Kellyanne Conway piles on: "Laughing my #Ossoff," later — @karenhandel thanks for standing strong, for running on issues, for being a grownup and for living in the district. Welcome to Congress."Ossoff concedes: "The fight goes on. Hope is still alive."Handel speaks: She offered a "special thanks to the President of the United States of America" and said the shooting in Virginia last week showed political discourse in the U.S. needs to change.Paul Ryan congratulates: "Democrats from coast to coast threw everything they had at this race but Karen would not be defeated."Elsewhere:Republican Ralph Norman beat Democrat Archie Parnell in the race for Budget Director Mick Mulvaney's South Carolina House seat — but by a much closer than expected 3.2%.
