Karen Handel stocks up for reelection bid

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Karen Handel, R-Roswell, is beginning to stock up for her re-election bid next year. The Republican had roughly $482,000 in the bank going into October, according to new federal filings, a formidable war chest for a first-term lawmaker.

She raised $113,000 between July and the end of September, per those disclosures.

Handel’s competition for the 2018 6th District race is still shaping up.

Former Atlanta TV anchor Bobby Kaple, who entered the contest as a Democrat last week, didn't have to file a disclosure this quarter. Her other Democratic opponent, college professor Richard Keatley, ended the third quarter with $359 in debt.

The Democrat looming largest in the Sixth District race, Jon Ossoff, is staying on the sidelines for now, though he has dropped hints about a possible second run.

Ossoff's campaign committee, of course, didn’t raise any cash in the third quarter, but it did report $294,000 in “other receipts.” The money came from renting its email list to the Democratic campaign consulting shop Mothership Strategies.

Insiders' note: this post was ripped from today's Morning Jolt, which can be found here.