Democrats look for upset in red terrain of GOP
MARIETTA, Ga. — Republicans in Georgia’s conservative 6th district don’t agree on which of their party’s 11 candidates should represent the area in Congress.
But they’re united on one thing: it can’t be the Democrat trying for a major upset fueled by anti-Trump sentiment and millions of dollars from around the country.
“I don’t care what party you’re from,” said Marty Aftewicz, a 66-year-old GOP voter from Marietta. “If the money’s coming from outside the district, it’s dirty.”
Democrats in the area, though, see the flood of donations as a sign they’re not alone in opposing the president.
“It gives me some hope, even though Georgia is a heavily red state,” said Barbara Oakley, a 65-year-old retired pharmacist. “I think Democrats got surprised by Trump in November and they’re ready to work.”
Approaching Tuesday’s primary, Republicans are trying to prevent victory by a previously unknown former congressional staffer, 30-year-old Jon Ossoff. His bid to replace Health Secretary Tom Price in Congress carries implications beyond the northern suburbs of Atlanta as both major parties position themselves for the 2018 midterm elections.
Five Democrats will appear on the ballot, but Ossoff is considered the greatest threat to the GOP. Two independent candidates also are running.
The 18-candidate “jungle primary” comes a week after Republicans sweated out a single-digit special congressional victory in Kansas. Republican winner Ron Estes had previously coasted to easy statewide victories as state treasurer, but won a House seat in Wichita by just 7 percentage points, with little outside investment from national Democrats.
In Georgia, by contrast, both parties have dispatched paid field staffers, and a Republican political action committee backed by House Speaker Paul Ryan has spent more than $2 million pounding Ossoff. President Trump underperformed other Republicans in the suburban district, making it a soft target for Democrats.
“Jon is being bankrolled by the most extreme liberals,” said Republican candidate Karen Handel, referring to Ossoff ’s fundraising haul that exceeds $8 million, most of it from outside the district.
Republicans essentially concede Ossoff will lead the voting Tuesday. That leaves 11 Republican candidates hoping the investigative filmmaker fails to reach a majority. If he doesn’t, Ossoff and the top GOP votegetter would meet in a June 20 runoff.