Republicans Panic As Polls Show Ossoff Pulling Upset

Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff speaks to his supporters in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District as votes in the first round of the special election continue to be counted. Image by Getty

By Daniel J. Solomon June 16, 2017

As politicos eagerly anticipate the results in Georgia’s House special election on Tuesday, internal Republican surveys are causing GOP indigestion as they point to an unlikely victory by Democrat Jon Ossoff.

Polls commissioned by right-wing groups show Ossoff up several points on GOP opopnent Karen Handel in the historically-red district, Politico reported Friday.

An Ossoff win could indicate a coming Democratic wave in 2018, when the party ties to take back the House of Representatives via wins in district’s like Ossoff’s, a wealthy Republican-leaning constituency in the Atlanta suburbs.

“If we’re losing upper middle class, suburban seats in the South to a 30-year-old progressive liberal, we would be foolish not to be deeply concerned about the possibility that would exist for a tidal wave election for Democrats in 2018,” Republican strategist Chip Lake told Politico.

“If Ossoff wins, you’re going to see the floodgates open, with Democrats recruiting candidates in races from governor to county commission,” said Randy Evans, another influential Georgia Republican.

Ossoff, a Jewish former Capitol Hill staffer, has electrified the Democratic base, framing his campaign in terms of opposition to President Trump. The election is the in American history.

Contact Daniel J. Solomon at [email protected] or on Twitter @DanielJSolomon

Daniel J. Solomon is the former Assistant to the Editor/News Writer at the Forward. Originally from Queens, he attended Harvard as an undergraduate, where he wrote his senior thesis on French-Jewish intellectual history. He is excited to have returned to New York after his time in Massachusetts. Daniel’s passions include folk music, cycling, and pointed argument.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO