A seat is open in Congress and the country is excited to see who will fill it Tuesday night. After Georgia's 6th district Rep. Tom Price became the new Health Secretary, the state's special election became very important—to lawmakers and voters alike.
We've built a movement from a community. Now we're sending a message to communities everywhere about what's possible when we come together. pic.twitter.com/0AvILm3rCz
— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) June 20, 2017
The Candidates
The stakes are high for Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff. According to The New York Times, the initial votes resulted in 48 percent for Ossoff and 51 percent combined for several Republican candidates. This forced a runoff between Ossoff and Handel, the top Republican candidate. Handel is a long-time conservative, according to her website, and is known for attacking "extreme liberals" through campaign ads and her other website DangerousJonOssoff.com. Ossoff's campaign calls him a "warrior against corruption."His website says he was a Congressional aide and journalist, and now he is dedicated to exposing and fighting abuses of power in our government. According to The Hill, Democrats are looking to him as someone who can help energize opponents of Trump's administration.
The Cost
In Georgia's 6th Congressional District special election today, campaigns will have spent between $150 & $175 per vote. That is..insane.
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) June 20, 2017
This special election is the most expensive one in the House yet. The Times reports most of the $28 million total going to Ossoff, who has rising support from states around the U.S. In fact, only 14 percent of his money actually came from people in Georgia. California and New York were his biggest donors, which is no surprise since they're known as Democratic states. Handel got outside help too, but from independent groups that exclusively support Republicans. Most of her money comes from Georgia, which may help her in the vote.
The Outcome
The importance of this special election is clear for Democrats, Republicans and President Donald Trump himself (when is his reputation NOT at stake?). While Trump didn't win this district, the seat has been historically Republican. If Ossoff wins, CNN reports, the Democrats will have a better chance at winning a majority in the house. If Handel wins, CNN says Republicans will feel reassured "that they can still rely on a strategy of turning out their base in Republican-leaning districts, even if Trump is unpopular there." The polls don't close until Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Eastern time, and the race has been too close to call since April. Both parties are on the edges of their Congressional seats!
