Georgia‘s state law requires the Governor of Georgia to call for a special election to be held at least 30 days after a vacancy. Following Price’s resignation, Governor Nathan Deal called for the special election to be held on April 18,[1] with a filing window for prospective candidates from February 13 to 15, 2017.[2] All candidates ran on one ballot, with a runoff election scheduled for the first- and second-place finishers, if no candidate received 50% of the vote.[3] Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff and Republican candidate Karen Handel finished first and second in a crowded field with neither receiving a majority and faced off in the June 20 runoff election. Handel prevailed in the runoff election.Karen Handel defeated Jon Ossoff in the special election runoff on June 20, 2017, to determine the member of the United States House of Representatives for Georgia’s 6th congressional district. Republican Tom Price resigned from the seat following his appointment and confirmation as the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump Administration. The runoff election followed the single-ballot special election held on April 18, 2017 when no individual candidate earned the majority of votes.
The election has attracted exceptional national interest, with both major parties perceiving it as an opportunity to shape the political narrative prior to the 2018 midterm elections.[4][5] A total of $50 million was spent as of the close of early-voting period on June 17, making it the most expensive House election in history.[6]Of that, more than $40 million was spent on television and radio advertising alone, smashing past House election records.[7] A very high number of voters—140,000—cast ballots during the runoff-election early-voting period, and an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll found that 92 percent of voters said they were watching the race “closely.”[6]
On June 20, 2017, Handel won the special election runoff and defeated Ossoff 51.87% to 48.13%. Following reports of the election results, The New York Times characterized the race as “demoralizing for Democrats”
Candidates
Republican Party
Declared
- David Abroms, businessman[9]
- Mohammad Ali Bhuiyan, economist[10]
- Keith Grawert, former USAF pilot[11]
- Bob Gray, businessman and Johns Creek City councilman[12]
- Karen Handel, former Secretary of State of Georgia, candidate for Governor in 2010, and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014[13]
- Judson Hill, former State Senator[14]
- Bruce LeVell, businessman[3][15]
- Amy Kremer, tea party activist[16]
- William Llop, certified public accountant and candidate for GA-11 in 2012 and 2016[11]
- Dan Moody, former State Senator[3][17]
- Kurt Wilson, businessman[18]
Withdrew
Declined
- John Albers, State Senator[21]
- Brandon Beach, State Senator[3][22]
- John Isakson Jr., real estate developer and son of U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson[23]
- Cade Joiner, small business owner[3]
- Jan Jones, State Representative[3][24]
- Chuck Martin, State Representative[3][25]
- Rusty Paul, Mayor of Sandy Springs, former State Senator and former Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party[26]
- Betty Price, State Representative and wife of Tom Price[3][16]
- Kelly Stewart, former Johns Creek City councilwoman[3]
Democratic Party
Declared
Withdrew
Declined
Libertarian Party
Declined
Independent
Declared
- Alexander Hernandez[34]
- Andre Pollard, computer systems engineer[16]
Withdrew
Special election
Endorsements
| [hide]Bob Gray |
- Organizations
|
| [hide]Judson Hill |
- Federal politicians
|
| [hide]Dan Moody |
- Federal politicians
|
Polling
Poll
source |
Date(s)
administered |
Sample
size |
Margin of
error |
David
Abroms (R) |
Bob
Gray (R) |
Karen
Handel (R) |
Judson
Hill (R) |
Bruce
LeVell (R) |
Dan
Moody (R) |
Jon
Ossoff (D) |
Ron
Slotin (D) |
Other |
Undecided |
| ZPolitics/Clout Research (R)[39] |
April 14–15, 2017 |
453 LV |
± 4.6% |
3% |
17% |
15% |
10% |
1% |
9% |
41% |
1% |
1% |
2% |
| Emerson College[40] |
April 13–15, 2017 |
324 LV |
± 5.4% |
2% |
15% |
17% |
6% |
0% |
9% |
43% |
2% |
3% |
3% |
| WSB/Landmark Communications[41] |
April 12–13, 2017 |
500 LV |
± 4.2% |
– |
9% |
17% |
8% |
– |
8% |
45% |
– |
5% |
7% |
| FOX 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy[42] |
April 13, 2017 |
437 LV |
± 4.6% |
1% |
11% |
21% |
11% |
0% |
9% |
42% |
0% |
2% |
3% |
| Revily[43] |
April 10–12, 2017 |
485 LV |
± 4.5% |
– |
16% |
17% |
7% |
– |
9% |
45% |
0% |
1% |
6% |
| RRH Elections/Decision Desk HQ[44] |
April 5–10, 2017 |
321 LV |
± 5% |
3% |
12% |
15% |
10% |
0% |
11% |
39% |
4% |
– |
6% |
| Meeting Street Research (R-Moody)[45] |
April 4, 2017 |
400 LV |
± 4.9% |
– |
– |
12% |
10% |
– |
12% |
43% |
– |
14% |
9% |
| WXIA-TV Atlanta/Survey USA[46] |
March 27 – April 2, 2017 |
503 LV |
± 4.5% |
2% |
14% |
15% |
5% |
1% |
7% |
43% |
0% |
7% |
7% |
| MoveOn/Lake Research Partners (D)[47] |
March 26–28, 2017 |
350 LV |
± 5.2% |
– |
7% |
18% |
8% |
0% |
7% |
40% |
1% |
1% |
19% |
| FOX 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy[48] |
March 22–23, 2017 |
462 |
± 4.5% |
2% |
10% |
20% |
10% |
0.4% |
8% |
40% |
1% |
3% |
6% |
| ZPolitics/Clout Research (R)[49] |
March 15–16, 2017 |
625 LV |
± 3.7% |
2% |
16% |
16% |
9% |
1% |
5% |
41% |
3% |
2% |
6% |
| Trafalgar Group (R)[50] |
March 2–3, 2017 |
450+ LV |
± 4.5% |
— |
13% |
18% |
8% |
0% |
2% |
18% |
3% |
— |
34% |
| ZPolitics/Clout Research (R)[51] |
February 17–18, 2017 |
694 LV |
± 3.7% |
— |
11% |
25% |
9% |
1% |
2% |
32% |
— |
3% |
18% |
| Landmark/Rosetta Stone[52] |
December 1, 2016 |
500 LV |
± 4.2% |
— |
— |
22% |
8% |
— |
— |
— |
— |
14%[53] |
56% |
Results
Note: Official results[54]
Runoff
No candidate received 50% of the vote in the special election. The top two candidates, Jon Ossoff and Karen Handel, faced off in the June 20 runoff election.[citation needed]
Endorsements
| [hide]Karen Handel |
- United States presidents
- Federal politicians
- Statewide politicians
- D.C. Aiken, former Alpharetta councilmember
- Mike Bowers, former Attorney General
- JoAnn Birrell, Cobb County commissioner
- Nathan Deal, Governor[57]
- Nancy Diamond, Roswell councilmember
- Steve Dorvee, former Roswell councilmember
- Tim Echols, public service commissioner
- Chuck Eaton, public service commissioner
- Joe Gebbia, Brookhaven councilmember
- Jim Gilvin, Alpharetta councilmember
- Ashley Jenkins, former Sandy Springs councilmember
- Randall Johnson, former Johns Creek councilmember
- Mike Kenn, former Fulton County commission chair
- Arthur Lepchas, former Alpharetta mayor
- Joe Lockwood, Milton mayor
- Joe Longoria, Milton councilmember
- Bill Lusk, Milton councilmember
- Bates Mattison, Brookhaven mayor pro tem
- Karen Meinzen-McEnerny, former Sandy Springs councilmember
- Dan Merkel, Alpharetta councilmember
- Terry Nall, Dunwoody councilmember
- Bob Ott, Cobb County commissioner
- Chris Owens, Alpharetta mayor pro tem
- Rusty Paul, Sandy Springs mayor
- Michelle Penkara, Tucker councilmember
- Donna Pittman, Doraville mayor
- Kristen Riley, former Roswell councilmember
- Jim Still, Mountain Park mayor
- Pam Tallmadge, Dunwoody councilmember
- Karen Thurman, Milton councilmember
- Honey Van De Kreke, Tucker councilmember
- Rebecca Chase Williams, former Brookhaven mayor
- Becky Wynn, Roswell councilmember
- Former candidates
- Organizations
|
| [hide]Jon Ossoff |
- Federal politicians
- Julián Castro, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development[61]
- Catherine Cortez Masto, U.S. Senator (D-NV)
- Maggie Hassan, U.S. Senator (D-NH)
- Hank Johnson, U.S. Representative (D-GA)[28]
- Jason Kander, former Missouri Secretary of State (D-MO)[62]
- John Lewis, U.S. Representative (D-GA)[28]
- Patrick Murphy, former U.S. Representative (D-FL)
- Tom Perez, Chairman of Democratic National Committee and former U.S. Secretary of Labor[63]
- Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator (I-VT)[64]
- Eric Swalwell, U.S. Representative (D-CA)
- Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator (D-MA)[65]
- Statewide politicians
- Celebrities
- Organizations
- Websites
|
Polling
Averages
| Model |
Ossoff |
Handel |
Spread |
| HuffPost Pollster[82] |
49.3% |
47.0% |
Ossoff +2.4 |
| RealClearPolitics[83] |
48.8% |
49.0% |
Handel +0.2 |
| 270toWin[84] |
49.4% |
47.6% |
Ossoff +1.8 |
| Daily Kos[citation needed] |
48.1% |
48.2% |
Handel +0.1 |
Polls
| Poll source |
Date(s)
administered |
Sample
size |
Margin of
error |
Jon
Ossoff (D) |
Karen
Handel (R) |
Undecided |
| Actual Results |
June 20, 2017 |
259,488 |
± 0% |
48.1% |
51.9% |
0% |
| WSB/Landmark Communications[85] |
June 18, 2017 |
500 |
± 4.4% |
49% |
49% |
2% |
| Trafalgar Group[86] |
June 17–18, 2017 |
1100 |
± 2.9% |
49% |
51% |
1% |
| CSP Polling[87] |
June 15–17, 2017 |
571 |
± 4.0% |
48% |
49% |
3% |
| WSB/Landmark Communications[88] |
June 15, 2017 |
800 |
± 3.5% |
50% |
48% |
2% |
| FOX 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy[89] |
June 14–15, 2017 |
537 |
± 4.2% |
50% |
49% |
1% |
| Trafalgar Group[90] |
June 10–13, 2017 |
1100 |
± 2.9% |
50% |
47% |
2% |
| SurveyUSA[91] |
June 7–11, 2017 |
700 |
± 4.5% |
47% |
47% |
6% |
| AJC/Abt Associates[92] |
June 5–8, 2017 |
1000 |
± 4% |
51% |
44% |
5% |
| WSB/Landmark Communications[93] |
June 6–7, 2017 |
420 |
± 4.8% |
50% |
47% |
3% |
| WSB/Landmark Communications[94] |
May 30–31, 2017 |
500 |
± 4.4% |
49% |
48% |
3% |
| SurveyUSA[95] |
May 16–20, 2017 |
549 |
± 4.3% |
51% |
44% |
6% |
| Gravis Marketing[96] |
May 8–10, 2017 |
870 |
± 3.3% |
47% |
45% |
8% |
| WSB/Landmark Communications[97] |
May 3–4, 2017 |
611 |
± 4.0% |
47% |
49% |
4% |
| GBA Strategies/House Majority PAC (D)[98] |
April 29 – May 1, 2017 |
400 |
± 4.9% |
50% |
48% |
2% |
| Anzalone Liszt Grove Research (D)[99] |
April 23–26, 2017 |
590 |
± 4.0% |
48% |
47% |
5% |
| Emerson College[40] |
April 13–15, 2017 |
324 |
± 5.4% |
47% |
49% |
4% |
| FOX 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy[42] |
April 13, 2017 |
407 |
± 4.6% |
44% |
42% |
14% |
| Revily[43] |
April 10–12, 2017 |
485 |
± 4.5% |
47% |
46% |
7% |
| Lake Research Partners[100] |
March 26–28, 2017 |
350 |
± 5.2% |
45% |
45% |
10% |
| FOX 5 Atlanta/Opinion Savvy[48] |
March 22–23, 2017 |
449 |
± 4.5% |
42% |
41% |
17% |
| [hide]Hypothetical polling |
- with Bob Gray
- with Judson Hill
- with Dan Moody
|
Results
The race was called for Karen Handel at around 10:15 pm by the Associated Press. Ossoff conceded the race shortly thereafter.
County results
Vote Break Down by County
|
Karen Handel
Republican |
Jon Ossoff
Democrat |
Margin |
Total |
| Cobb |
45,625 |
58.15% |
32,833 |
41.85% |
12,792 |
16.30% |
78,458 |
| DeKalb |
24,070 |
41.56% |
33,847 |
58.44% |
9,777 |
16.88% |
57,917 |
| Fulton |
64,900 |
52.72% |
58,213 |
47.28% |
6,687 |
5.44% |
123,113 |
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