Politics

Handel looks to unify voters after crucial Congressional win

ATLANTA — Newly elected U.S. Representative Karen Handel said she hopes to reach out to her opponent's supporters in an effort to unify the 6th Congressional District.

After one of the most contentious and the most expensive Congressional races in U.S. history, Handel easily defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff 53 percent to 47 percent Tuesday night.

"I feel extraordinarily honored and privileged to have this opportunity to represent the people of the 6th District," Handel told Channel 2 political reporter Richard Elliot. "Unifying the district is important to me, and I think it's important to be able to govern effectively. The way that I can do that is through my action and my deeds and being open and transparent, accountable and available."

After one of the most contentious and the most expensive Congressional race in U.S. history, Handel easily defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff.

Republican strategist Brian Robinson told Elliot that he believes Handel’s win will be a blueprint for other Republican Congressional candidates looking to win in a district where President Trump may not be popular.

“She was able to use the president’s support,” said Robinson. “She said nice things about the president. She supported his policies wherever she could, but made it clear that she wasn’t running as Trump Junior.”

Like Robinson, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson believes Ossoff ran a good campaign, but in the end, he believes the district was just too conservative for a Democrat to win.

SPECIAL SECTION: The 6th District Race

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“Karen Handel won in a Republican district that was drawn for a Republican to win,” Johnson told Elliot. “If you look at the numbers, she was basically able to capitalize on the amount of Republicans that lived in that district.”

Handel will now serve out the remaining term of Tom Price, who resigned his Congressional seat to become Trump's HHS Secretary. That means she'll have to run for the seat again in about 18 months.

“Oh my gosh. Ugh,” Handel said to Elliot about running again in a short matter of time. “I try not to think about it, so I just want to focus on the job, and I have great faith that if I do a good job, and I’m open and available to the people of the 6th District, that I can earn respect across this whole district.”