On Tuesday, Republican Karen Handel defeated Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, in the race for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District seat.
In a district that has seen decades of Republican representatives, hopes were high among Democrats that Ossoff, a former congressional aide, could pull off an upset. But it was not to be as Ossoff lost by more than 10,000 votes in the most expensive House election in U.S. history.
Here’s what some media outlets are saying about the election.
Republican Karen Handel defeats Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District
“President Trump’s hopes of steadying his presidency and his agenda on Capitol Hill were given a lift Tuesday when a Republican won a special congressional election in the Atlanta suburbs.
Republican Karen Handel defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, retaining a seat that has been in GOP hands since 1979 after a grueling, four-month campaign that earned the distinction of being the most expensive House race in history.
... Handel’s win will bring fresh attention to a beleaguered Democratic Party that has suffered a string of defeats in special elections this year despite an angry and engaged base of voters who dislike Trump.”
Republicans Hold Georgia House Seat, Dashing Democrats' Hopes
National Public Radio "Republican Karen Handel has won the costly and closely watched special congressional election in Georgia's 6th District, a blow to Democratic hopes of pulling off an upset in a district that President Trump only narrowly carried last year.
The former Georgia secretary of state won by almost 4 points, beating Jon Ossoff, a 30-year-old documentary filmmaker and former congressional staffer — 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent.
...The race had been framed by some as a referendum on Trump and his agenda, and the win may ease any GOP fears — for now — that its base wouldn't stay engaged heading into the 2018 midterms. Handel's win shows that even Republican voters who may have been reluctant to embrace Trump will still come home to vote for more traditional GOP candidates. It also suggests that attacks tying more centrist Democrats to the national party, particularly House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, can still prove effective.”
Republican Karen Handel defends district in Georgia special election, beating Jon Ossoff
“Fending off a serious Democratic challenger in a race widely viewed as a barometer of public opinion on President Donald Trump's presidency, Republican Karen Handel won the special election Tuesday to succeed Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price in Georgia's sixth congressional district.
... President Trump was quick to react to Handel's win, tweeting, "Things are looking great for Karen H!” ”
Things are looking great for Karen H!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2017“
Republican Karen Handel wins Georgia House special election
“Republican Karen Handel defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in a high-stakes special election for a Georgia House seat on Tuesday, denying Democrats their first major victory of the Donald Trump era.
... It was a much closer margin than the 20-plus point wins typically posted by former Rep. Tom Price -- whose departure to become Trump's health and human services secretary created the vacancy.
But it wasn't what Democrats who pumped $23 million into Ossoff's campaign so desperately craved: A win.”
GOP's Karen Handel wins most expensive House race ever, dashing Democrat upset hopes
“Karen Handel has won Georgia's record-breaking special congressional election, dashing hopes by Democrats to pull off an upset in the run-up to the 2018 midterm elections.
Seen as an early proxy for whether Democrats can flip certain Republican-leaning districts in the President Donald Trump era, Tuesday's election drew national attention and record cash from around the country. Democrats have aimed to leverage Trump's dismal approval rating and opposition to the Republican health-care bill into winning Republican seats and potentially taking control of the House in 2018.”
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