Republicans celebrate while Dems seek upsides

DUNWOODY, Ga. (AP) – Republicans say Karen Handel’s victory in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District proves the GOP is still the dominant party in Georgia.

Georgia Republican Party Chairman John Watson credited Handel for “crushing liberal dreams.”

Democrats say Jon Ossoff’s 48 percent showing in a Republican stronghold is proof that they’re actually making progress toward making Georgia a genuine battleground.

Turns out, both sides can be right this time.

“This was not a cakewalk for them,” Ossoff supporter Jen Cox said. “And it never will be again. That’s the win for us today.”

For eight years living in the traditionally conservative area, Cox kept her mouth shut about politics until she was certain of her neighbors’ leanings. Cox, a 47-year-old Realtor and mother of two daughters, co-founded a group this year called “Pave It Blue” focused on backing Ossoff’s campaign and other red seats that could be poachable.

Handel backers, though, hailed Tuesday’s results as confirmation that the district remains solidly in the party’s grasp. “Karen was able to pull Republicans back together,” said Jim Phillips, a 69-year-old retiree from Marietta who has volunteered on several Handel campaigns.

He doesn’t expect the district’s leanings to change in the coming years either, betting that its makeup of welleducated and well-off voters will give Republicans “with a strong platform, a good history and a good record” a path to victory.

Those polar views the day after Handel’s 4-point win over Ossoff can be partly attributed to sheer partisanship – voters seeing the world through their party identity. But each side having a base of voters who believe in the strength of their respective parties is itself an ingredient required for competitive politics.

And Ossoff’s 48 percent is a higher mark than Democrats have managed in recent statewide races involving less of a GOP advantage than Atlanta’s northern suburbs.