The Special Election in Georgia Is Heading to a Runoff

Democrats have become more and more optimistic as polls have consistently shown Ossoff has jumped out to a big lead against a crowded field of Republicans, and is within striking distance of the 50 percent threshold which would avoid the run-off election scheduled for June between the top two vote-getters on Tuesday and make Ossoff the victor. " She hyped how he was giving Republicans a hard time for a seat that they normally win".

Republicans had acknowledged even before Tuesday's balloting began that Ossoff would top the 18-candidate field Tuesday.

A special election in Georgia grabbed the attention of the United States' political class on Tuesday, with many considering the up-for-grabs House seat a litmus test for Donald Trump's presidency. The seat was once held by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and was occupied until recently by Tom Price, who left Congress to become secretary of health and human services in the Trump administration.

Ossoff, a 30-year-old documentary filmmaker and former congressional aide, had sought to parlay opposition to President Donald Trump into an outright victory that would have emboldened Democrats ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

Mr. Trump's perceived weakness in the district, along with its changing demographics, convinced Democrats to pour millions of dollars into the race. He took a significant early lead in Tuesday's special election, but soon fell back toward the 50% threshold needed to claim the seat outright.

Speaking to the crowd at his party, Ossoff said "We will be ready to fight on and win in June if it's necessary".

Ossoff and Handel will now head to a runoff on 20 June in what will be a fierce battle for Price's Congressional seat. Cory Booker. He said both "make me feel like my generation is being heard". Ossoff did well in that early vote and jumped out to an initial lead as those ballots were counted, perhaps reflecting the Democratic enthusiasm that marked his rise.

Ossoff's performance there, which appears likely to exceed Clinton's numbers against Trump in 2016, potentially represents a major political shift in American politics as Democrats increasingly try to woo voters in prosperous suburbs like Georgia's Sixth District. The nearest Republican - former state secretary of state Karen Handel - came in at just 19.8 per cent.

The 6th congressional district includes parts of Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton counties north of the city of Atlanta.

Ossoff acknowledged Tuesday that he lives just south of the district, in Atlanta, so that his girlfriend is close to her work at Emory University's medical complex.

Ossoff has amassed $8 million, much of it in out-of-state contributions by Democratic groups, while Republicans have raised a cumulative $4 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. He urged Republicans to get out and vote in the race, though he didn't mention any specific GOP candidate.

Add to this unpredictable mix last-minute tweets from Trump, who won Georgia by 5 points but struggled in the district.

Whatever the outcome, the race highlights Republican candidate's challenge in dealing with the president: He still engenders intense loyalty among his core supporters, but alienates many independents and some Republicans.

Next month, Democrats and Republicans will tangle again in a House race in Montana, a contest where the Congressional Leadership Fund and NRCC are already running attack ads against Democratic nominee Rob Quist. Many view the race as a referendum on Trump's first 100 days in office.

But Trump's sharp-elbowed cultural worldview and provocative rhetoric helped Hillary Clinton make serious inroads in a place populated by wealthy, well-educated white voters, many of whom defected en masse from the GOP leader's ticket past year. But it will be an uphill climb, as Republicans still outnumber Democrats in the district and the GOP finally has a single candidate the party can rally behind.