Former Georgia Secretary of State and Republican, Karen Handel pulled out a major party win last night in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, by barely defeating former Democratic Congressional Aide and documentary filmmaker Jon Ossoff, according to BuzzFeed News.
The election was viewed and critiqued on a national level because of the shifting party ties the district saw in the 2016 Presidential Election. President Donald Trump barely defeated Hillary Clinton in the same district last year, proving that with a strong enough candidate, Democrats could potentially overturn their state's 40-year Republican seat control.
However, as the votes rolled in, it was evident Handel would win, making her the first woman to represent Georgia in Congress. Handel, a politician who, according to The New York Times, has tried to keep her distance from the Trump administration, got more than $12 million in funding from outside conservative groups. Ossoff got similarly huge amounts of funding from outside liberals. With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that the election was the most expensive congressional contest in history, with funds exceeding $50 million, according to BuzzFeed News.
Upon Handel’s win, she thanked her fellow Republicans and acknowledged Ossoff’s graciousness in defeat, concluding, “We have had a legacy of tremendous leadership in the 6th District. Our very own Tom Price, who is now the secretary of [health and human services], now-Senator Johnny Isakson, and former speaker Newt Gingrich,” according to BuzzFeed News.
While the district remains under Republican control, Democrats are hopeful and eager to keep moving forward. Upon Ossoff’s loss, he addressed his supporters and eloquently stated, “We showed the world that in places where no one thought it was even possible to fight, we could fight. This is the beginning of something much bigger than us.”