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Timeline of Georgia's 6th Congressional District special election, 2017
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Campaign ads • Timeline |
| Special Election: April 18, 2017 Runoff Election: June 20, 2017 Election Winner: Karen Handel  Incumbent: Tom Price (R) |
| Cook Political Report: Toss-up[2] Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up[3] Rothenberg & Gonzales: Pure Toss-up[4] |
An election was held in the 6th Congressional District of Georgia on June 20, 2017, to elect Jon Ossoff (D) or Karen Handel (R) to the seat left vacant by Tom Price (R).
It was the most expensive U.S. House race in history. The two campaigns, along with outside organizations, spent more than $40 million on the race, as of June 13, 2017.[5] The Democratic effort to flip this congressional seat, which had been held by a Republican since 1979, began early: Ossoff raised $8.3 million in the first quarter of 2017. In April and May, Ossoff raised an additional $15 million.[6] Handel raised $4 million, relying on national political figures like President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to helm fundraisers.[7]
This page provides a chronology of major fundraising events, ad releases, policy statements, and debates. For an overview of the election, click here.
June 20 runoff election
June 17, 2017: Price and Perdue stump for Handel 🗣️
Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price stumped for Handel, backing her in the race to fill his former congressional seat. Price was be joined by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.[8]
June 16, 2017: Early voting ends 🗳️
Early voting ended in the district. Over 140,000 votes were cast in this round of early voting, compared to 57,000 people who voted in advance of the April 18 election. Of the 140,000 early voters, 36,000 of these voters did not cast votes for the April 18 election.[9]
Fox 5/Opinion Savvy (June 15): Ossoff led Handel by 0.3 points, 49.7 percent to 49.4 percent.
The Trafalgar Group (June 10-13): Ossoff led Handel by 2.9 points, 50.2 percent to 47.3 percent.
11 Alive/SurveyUSA Poll (June 7-11): Ossoff and Handel tied with 47 percent each.
June 9, 2017: Pence stumps for Handel 🗣️
Vice President Mike Pence held a fundraiser for Karen Handel at the Cobb Energy Centre outside of Atlanta, Georgia.[10]
June 8, 2017: Candidates face off in second televised debate 🗣️
Ossoff and Handel faced off in their second and final planned televised debate. The debate was broadcast live on the radio in the morning and televised in the evening. The candidates discussed domestic policy issues, including healthcare, the economy, and the federal budget. Handel and Ossoff also debated issues related to President Trump, the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and the Iran Nuclear Deal.
June 6, 2017: America First Policies spends $1.6 million to back Handel 💵
America First Policies, which supports the policy positions of President Donald Trump, initiated its first ad buy in a congressional election, allocating $1.6 million to support Handel. It released an ad criticizing Ossoff for how he characterized his national security experience and highlighted recent terror attacks in Europe.[11]
June 6, 2017: Candidates debate domestic policy issues 🗣️
Ossoff and Handel participated in the first televised debate of Georgia's 6th Congressional District special election. Hosted by WSB-TV Atlanta, the debate primarily focused on domestic policy issues, including immigration, campaign finance, healthcare, taxes, infrastructure, and the minimum wage. Handel defended efforts by Republican leadership to repeal and replace Obamacare, stating her support for the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and its protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. Ossoff criticized the AHCA for "gutting protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions" and stated that the focus should be improving the current system. The two also sparred regarding their experience and qualifications, as well as other policies proposed by President Trump. The nature of Handel's role in the Susan G. Komen Foundation's decision to briefly end its relationship with Planned Parenthood and Ossoff's residence outside of the district were also discussed. Read more highlights from the debate here.
June 5, 2017: National debate canceled 🚫
Ossoff's campaign announced that he would not participate in a June 13 debate hosted by the Atlanta Press Club and scheduled to be televised on CNN. Karen Handel previously declined an invitation to debate Ossoff at an event hosted by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association. With Ossoff's announcement, just two televised debates were scheduled prior to the June 20 runoff, with the first occurring on June 6 on WSB-TV and the second on June 8 on WABE/PBA30.[12]
June 1, 2017: Candidates comment on Paris Climate Agreement withdrawal 🗣️
President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. Under the agreement, signatory countries pledged to reduce carbon dioxide and similar emissions in an effort to limit human-caused climate change.[13] Handel supported the withdrawal, saying, "We need a fair agreement that doesn’t start with the assumption that American jobs should be sacrificed to the developing world in order to address the impacts of climate change."[14] Ossoff opposed the decision. "I agree with our military, our intelligence community, and peer-reviewed science that climate change is a major threat to our prosperity and our security, and if we walk away from this historic agreement now, history will condemn us," he said.[14]
June 1, 2017: Congressional Leadership Fund releases ad featuring Kathy Griffin 📺
The Congressional Leadership Fund released an ad opposing Ossoff featuring photos and video taken of comedian Kathy Griffin holding a bloodied Trump mask. The ad claimed that Griffin was an Ossoff supporter and criticized Ossoff for the amount of money he raised from out-of-state donors.
May 31, 2017: House Majority PAC releases negative Handel ad 📺
House Majority PAC, which supports Democrats in U.S. House races, committed $500,000 to air an ad that criticized Handel for wasting taxpayer money as Georgia's secretary of state and for running for public office six separate times.
May 24, 2017: Paper ballots requested in lawsuit 🗳️
A lawsuit was filed in Fulton County Superior Court requesting that paper ballots be used in the runoff election, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on May 26, 2017. The plaintiffs—Rocky Mountain Foundation, Georgians for Verified Voting, and two Georgia residents—argued that Georgia's direct-recording electronic voting machines were outdated and unreliable and should have a paper audit trail.[15]
May 19, 2017: House Majority PAC makes $500,000 ad buy 💵
House Majority PAC, which supports Democratic candidates running for the U.S. House, announced that it would spend $500,000 on a new ad opposing Republican Karen Handel.[16]
May 24, 2017: Congressional Leadership Fund sends more canvassers to the district 👥
The Congressional Leadership Fund announced that it would send 45 more canvassers to the district to support Handel, increasing its voter reach by 100,000 households. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also invested an additional $2 million into the race primarily for television ad buys, bringing the organization's total spending in the race to $5 million. Of that recent investment, approximately $150,000 was spent on radio targeting black voters.[17]
May 18, 2017: DNC sends more field organizers to the district 👥
The Democratic National Committee announced that it was sending 10 field organizers to get out the vote for Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff in Georgia. The approximately 78,000 black, Latino, and Asian American registered voters who did not participate in the April 18 special election would be the focus of phone banks, canvassing, and driving pools on election day.[18]
May 15, 2017: House Speaker Paul Ryan attends fundraiser for Handel 💵
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan attended a campaign event with Republican candidate Karen Handel at the 5 Seasons Brewery in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Ryan spoke of the previous Republicans who have represented Georgia's 6th, including Newt Gingrich and Tom Price, adding, "I can tell you this, but you already know it—Karen Handel is the only person capable of filling these big shoes."[19][20]
May 9-10, 2017: Candidates comment on Comey firing 🗣️
Ossoff and Handel offered contrasting reactions to President Donald Trump's decision to fire James Comey from the Federal Bureau of Investigation this week. Ossoff tweeted, "Comey’s firing raises severe questions. There should be bipartisan support for a special prosecutor to investigate Russian interference." Handel supported Trump's decision to fire Comey. "It’s been clear for some time that FBI Director Comey has lost the confidence of Republicans, Democrats and broader institutions, and his removal as FBI Director was probably overdue. I hope that the President will quickly nominate a strong, independent leader as the next Director of the FBI and that the Senate will consider the nomination as quickly as possible," she said in a statement.[21]
May 9, 2017: Congressional Leadership Fund airs ad criticizing Ossoff for California contributions 📺
The Congressional Leadership Fund began airing ads opposing Jon Ossoff (D) in the runoff election to represent Georgia’s 6th Congressional District on June 20. The group’s first ad, which was part of the super PAC’s $6.5 million airtime purchase, criticized Ossoff’s campaign contributions from California, claiming, “California is the leading funder of the Jon Ossoff campaign.”[22]
May 6, 2017: Declared most expensive U.S. House race 💵
With more than $29.7 million spent on television ads as of May 6, 2017, the race in the 6th District became the most expensive House contest in U.S. history, according to Politico. While Ossoff benefited most from interest in the election—raising $8.3 million in the first three months of 2017 from mostly small donors—Handel's campaign reported raising more than $1 million in the week after the April 18 special election.[23]
May 4, 2017: Candidates comment on AHCA 🗣️
- See also: American Health Care Act of 2017
After a revised version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) of 2017 passed the U.S. House on May 4, 2017, Ossoff released a statement expressing his opposition to the bill. "I strongly oppose this bill, which allows discrimination against Georgians with pre-existing conditions and would make health insurance unaffordable for millions of families. This bill puts Georgians’ lives at risk. Congress should put aside partisan politics and work to make affordable insurance and quality care available to all Americans," he said.[24]
Handel's campaign said in a statement that she would have supported the legislation: "Karen would have joined with the Republicans in the Georgia delegation in voting in favor of the bill. She believes that the status quo is unacceptable and that this legislation, while not perfect, represents just the first step in replacing Obamacare with patient-centered healthcare."[25]
May 4, 2017: Voter registration reopens 🗳️
On May 4, 2017, U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten ordered the state of Georgia to reopen voter registration ahead of the June 20 runoff. The decision originated from a lawsuit by The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which alleged that the state of Georgia ended voter registration for federal runoff elections two months earlier than required by federal law. The office of Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R) stated that it would seek to comply with the order. Registration had been closed since March 20, but began immediately following Judge Batten's order. Registration remained open through May 20.[26]
May 1-4, 2017: Candidates and third parties prepare for ad campaigns 📺
Democrat Jon Ossoff, who had not aired an ad directed at Republican candidate Karen Handel during the campaign for the April 18 special election, launched one in this week. The ad stated that Handel had "run six times for five different offices" and "spends your money on herself." In a statement explaining the decision to launch the negative ad, Ossoff said that he would "refrain from personal attacks and cheap shots," and instead use the negative ads to draw a contrast. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also launched ads opposing Handel. Ossoff’s campaign reportedly reserved about $5.2 million of air time, including radio and television, leading up to the runoff.[27][28]
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also launched a $1 million ad campaign in support of Handel. She received an additional boost from the Congressional Leadership Fund, which announced it was investing $3.5 million in the race.[27]
April 28, 2017: Trump holds fundraiser for Handel 💵
President Trump spoke at a fundraiser for Karen Handel in Atlanta, Georgia, and praised her during his remarks to a forum of the National Rifle Association on the same day.[29][30]
April 18 election
Eighteen candidates competed in the election, and because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters, Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel, were set to compete in a runoff election on June 20, 2017. Ossoff received the most votes with 48.1 percent and Handel received the second highest vote share with 19.8 percent.
Democratic candidates combined to receive about 49 percent of the total vote, while Republican candidates combined to receive about 51 percent of the total vote. Ossoff’s votes represented 98.1 percent of all votes cast for Democrats, while Handel won a competitive battle with three other Republican candidates, all of whom received at least 8.8 percent of the total vote. Bob Gray received 10.8 percent, Dan Moody received 8.8 percent, and Judson Hill received 8.8 percent. No other candidates in the race received more than one percent.
The received an outpouring of money from across the country. Ossoff raised over $8.3 million in donations in the first quarter with contributions from every state in the nation, while outside groups also poured millions into the race.
Vacant seat
This special election was one of the first chances since 2016 for the Democratic Party to put a small dent in the Republican House majority. Under normal circumstances, Georgia's 6th District would have been seen as a safe Republican district, as the Democratic Party has not held the district since before Newt Gingrich's first election to the seat in 1978. However, Donald Trump's narrow win by a margin of 1.5 percent over Hillary Clinton in the district in the 2016 presidential race signified that the district could be competitive. Comparatively, Mitt Romney won the district by a margin of 23.3 percent in 2012, and John McCain defeated Barack Obama by 18 percent in 2008. This prompted both sides to begin spending in the race.[31][32]
The race served as an initial measurement of the country's response to the first few months of the Trump administration and as a test of the anti-Trump movement's ability to generate votes in a traditionally Republican district. On April 17, 2017, one day prior to election day, President Trump tweeted about the race. On the same day, he also recorded a robocall that stated Ossoff would "raise your taxes, destroy your healthcare, and flood our country with illegal immigrants."
See also
- April 18 special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District
- Special elections to the 115th United States Congress (2017-2018)
- Georgia's 6th Congressional District
- Tom Price
Footnotes
- ↑ Race ratings from outside sources are their initial ratings for the 2018 election.
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2018 House Race Ratings for April 10, 2017," accessed April 11, 2017
- ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "Initial 2018 House Ratings," accessed April 11, 2017
- ↑ Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, "House Ratings," accessed April 11, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Georgia voters see presidential-level stakes in special election," June 13, 2017
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Ossoff raises another $15M in Georgia 6th, setting new fundraising record," June 8, 2017
- ↑ The New York Times, "Ossoff Raises $23 Million in Most Expensive House Race in History," June 9, 2017
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Tom Price, Sonny Perdue to rally for Karen Handel in Georgia 6th," June 15, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Early-vote turnout soars in Georgia special election," June 18, 2017
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Mike Pence event for Karen Handel is closed to prying eyes," June 9, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Examiner, "Pro-Trump outside group launches over ad campaign in Georgia congressional race," June 1, 2017
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Democrat Jon Ossoff declines a Sixth District debate on CNN," June 5, 2017
- ↑ Reuters, "Trump pulling U.S. out of Paris climate deal: source," May 31, 2017
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Atlanta Journal-Constitutional," Georgia 6th: Handel backs Trump’s move to exit climate agreement," June 2, 2017
- ↑ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Lawsuit seeks paper ballots in Georgia’s 6th District runoff," May 26, 2017
- ↑ AJC Politics Blog, "Georgia 6th: Dems double down on Handel’s ‘big spending,’ past runs for office," May 30, 2017
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Georgia 6th: Even more reinforcements are headed to Handel, Ossoff," May 24, 2017
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Democratic Groups Dump Money, Staff Into Jon Ossoff’s Georgia Race," May 18, 2017
- ↑ AJC Politics Blog, "Ryan on Handel: ‘We need someone who is tested and true’," May 15, 2017
- ↑ AJC Politics Blog, "Paul Ryan headlines Monday event with Karen Handel in Georgia 6th runoff," May 15, 2017
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Georgia GOP Congressional Candidate Applauds Trump Decision To Fire Comey," May 10, 2017
- ↑ Roll Call, "GOP Super PAC Goes After Ossoff’s Out-of-State Money," May 9, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Georgia special election smashes all-time spending record," May 6, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Jon Ossoff may have won Georgia’s 6th District this past week," May 7, 2017
- ↑ Washington Examiner, "Republican congressional nominee in Montana won't back Obamacare replacement," May 5, 2017
- ↑ AJC.com, "Federal judge orders Georgia to reopen voter registration ahead of 6th District runoff," May 4, 2017
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Jon Ossoff’s campaign readies a $5.2M ad blitz," May 2, 2017
- ↑ Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Sixth District TV ads are creating the news. No, really," May 4, 2017
- ↑ AJC Politics Blog, "At fundraiser, Trump quips to Handel ‘you’d better win’ 6th District race," April 28, 2017
- ↑ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Trump tells NRA in Atlanta: I will ‘come through for you,’" April 28, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections presents the 2016 presidential election results by congressional district," January 30, 2017
- ↑ Vox, "Georgia Dems normally raise $10,000 for this House seat. This April they’ll have $3 million." March 27, 2017
