Political Insider

6th District: What to watch for during Tuesday's debate

Jon Ossoff and Karen Handel. AJC file
Jon Ossoff and Karen Handel. AJC file
June 6, 2017

Georgia's 6th District House seat may serve a compact portion of the north Atlanta suburbs, but national issues are likely to dominate the first head-to-head debate between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff Tuesday.

The duo will meet in primetime on WSB-TV. It's the first of two confirmed faceoffs between Ossoff and Handel as early voting continues ahead of Election Day on June 20.

A bad performance for either could prove to be a stumbling block in a three-county district where tens of millions are being spent to capture the attention of voters. More than $36 million has been spent on the race so far, according to a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis, making the contest the most expensive in the history of the U.S. House.

Tuesday's debate will give Handel and Ossoff their first real opportunity to connect with a general audience beyond the 30- or 60-second increments of their radio and television ads.

About the Author

Tamar Hallerman is an award-winning senior reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She covers the Fulton County election interference case and co-hosts the Breakdown podcast.

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